SnickerSnickerSnort

Wow..

2012-02-07T10:23:00.004-05:00

Didn't realize how long it had been since I'd been on here. The past year and 4 months has been long and painful....

My son went to Afghanistan on the first Sunday of February 2011. He got to come home for 2 weeks in August and he returned home last Thursday night. He will be stationed out near Seattle come March 7th.

As mentioned in an earlier post he left a married man, unfortunately (I don't really mean that!), he returned divorced! There are so many times I wanted to come on here and blow some steam, because this girl did nothing but lie to us from day one. My VERY first conversation with her she let me know that once they were married, there would be no use for us in his life!! I never said a word to my son, I knew he loved us and there was no way he'd ever not come around. Although she did try stop him the Christmas break before he left, but he prevailed and came around somewhat often. After that things went out of control. Just to make a long story short, she is now on 3 year probation for a felony (she plead guilty) and is living in a half-way house in Cleveland. She also has a pre-trial coming up next week for a misdemeanor. I could probably ramble on here for a long time, but I won't bore you with ALL the details in one setting. But it broke my heart my son had to deal with this from 7,000 miles away. He was left totally penniless at one point and couldn't even buy food. Took almost a month to get his new checking opened and get his direct deposit moved!! With almost $2,000 in overdraft charges. Heroin, I guess, is quite expensive!!

But now we are moving on!! He is home, healthy & safe!! We are now concentrating on my daughter's up coming wedding. I have not one doubt in my mind about her choice in husbands. He is such a great young man, couldn't be happier.

Hopefully I can get back on here more often, and maybe give a glimpse into our year of
H-E-double hockey sticks!!!

Hope to be able to catch up with everybody and get some serious reading done!! Been out of the loop way too long!!

Have a GREAT day!!

Should Have Mentioned....

2010-10-20T15:18:00.001-04:00

That the lunch that was the newly weds idea and not ours, was at Hooters!!

Should I be scared??

2010-10-20T12:31:00.004-04:00

I work for a rather large corporation. Over 20,000 employees world wide. Our US corporation has just hired a new Safety Director over all US operations. And his last name is Death!!

I had to re-read the announcement twice to be sure I was reading it correctly.

I'm sure he's more than qualified, but when somebody asks who is your safety director, do you really want to say Death???

And how was your day??

Welcome to the family...

2010-10-12T10:31:00.004-04:00

...my new Daughter-In-Law. We spent the week-end in Augusta, GA. Near Fort Gordon where my son is stationed. He had a 4 day week-end and decided to spend it by becoming a new husband!! The "big" wedding will still be this February/March...but just in case he gets stationed over-seas somewhere, they needed to be married at least 3 months ahead of time. So this was just a small ceremony with both sets of parents and a best man. Unfortunately, she had to come back to Ohio alone. And according to the text messages she's been sending me, she's very sad...very understandable.

The weather was gorgeous and we stayed at the Partridge Inn in Augusta. It is supposedly haunted, but unfortunately we never seen a thing!! I am slightly disappointed about that. But it was built in the 1800's and was absolutely a charming place.

Also during our 'down' time we did a little exploring and found the "cursed" Pillar. We parked a little ways down from it, and I used the zoom for the picture. Didn't want to tempt fate by getting too close!!

All-in-All it was a good week-end. Had the perfect traveling weather, and the fall foliage was just beautiful (will share pictures of that later). We got to spend Saturday afternoon with the newly weds by taking them to lunch (their idea...not ours!!). It was nice (& odd) our son wanted to spend some time with us during his honeymoon!! Can't wait til Christmas to see him again!!

I hope all are doing well!! And have a great day!!

2010-08-11T12:35:00.004-04:00

Didn't realize I'd been gone so long. The last 9 weeks have flown by!!

During this time my baby girl...

Graduated from High School!!

Makes me feel like I'm getting old! We've been getting ready for the big move to Kent State (about 45 minutes away). This school loan stuff is mind boggling though. Need to find another loan to cover what the first one doesn't. She is considering the National Guard after this year. I told her 4 years of possibly working at a base hospital (changed her Major to Psychology) is WAY better than 10 years worth of school loans!! Experience is hard to come by!!

Also two weeks ago my son graduated from Basic Combat Training. Was so good to see him again. He gives the best hugs!! Although I found South Carolina to be unpleasantly HOT!! 102 degrees in the shade. We also got to transport him to his next post, Fort Gordon by August, GA (which was unfortunately no cooler) and there they gave him a week-end pass after he did his initial paperwork. We were happy...we went back to Columbia (Near Fort Jackson), stayed one last night and headed West to Myrtle Beach!! Had a GREAT time.

Yes this is me!! Was so much fun!!
This is my boy and his future wife, they were getting ready to take their turn Parasailing when us girls were done!!

My husband and his parents were also there (well..the grandparents didn't parasail with us). And everybody had a great time. Was just too short. We are planning an October trip to Augusta to visit with him when he starts getting his 24 hr. passes. Will just be Mom, Dad and Son...Hopefully this time we'll have time to just hang-out and talk and be family!! As wonderful as the beach was, there were too many distractions. But am still happy we had the time we did!!

Have a GREAT day!!

Where........

2010-05-25T13:55:00.004-04:00

...did my little boy go?? Seems like yesterday we were watching little leage games, then hot stove games, and then high school games. Marching with the band and being the loveable goofy kid he was!!

But now.....he's all grown up!! I'm so proud!!

He left us last Wednesday and boot camp started yesterday. He actually had a couple minutes yesterday and called his mom. What more could I ask for???

We have received 3 short calls since he's been gone!! And some picture messages like the one above.

Better than Mother's day!!!

Have a great day!!!

I'm tired...

2010-05-03T11:59:00.004-04:00

It was a long week-end for sure.

After weeks of dress shopping, shoe shopping, OMG I'm out of make up shopping and should I or shouldn't I get my hair done by a professional and then the almighty "two finger nails broke" incident (which resulted in a couple handfuls of new fake nails)....finally resulted in this:

And I did forget to mention that we ALMOST forgot the flowers!!!

All the obstacles we had in our way we finally managed to get ready for baby girl's senior prom. And according to her, a good time was had by all!! She went with a nice boy who has been her friend for a few years now (no....not a "boyfriend"-she didn't want that drama). Now we are 4 weeks away from graduation day. And mom is already having separation anxiety. Long gone are the days when I was a stay at home mom wishing I had an adult to talk to. Finding any reason to go to the store when the Mr. came home from work. Just for a few moments of silence in the car. Now I'm facing the dreaded "empty nest syndrome". And I'm just not sure I'll handle it very well. After 24 years the Mr. and I have talked about almost every subject under the sun!! How ever will we entertain ourselves.? We are considering getting a Wii. (Our friends have a Wii Fit, and invited us over to play...we had a ball.- Hi Denise!!).

At any rate, one prom down, one to go (the boy is going w/ his fiance' to her Senior Prom next week). But this one won't have as much drama for me, only need to pick up the flowers (which were ordered last week!! No forgetting these).

The best part of the evening was when Rachel's best friend Whitney was crowned Prom Queen...I couldn't have been happier if it had been my own child!! Whit is beautiful and such a sweet girl......congrats to her!!

Have a GREAT day!!

I apologize...

2010-04-20T13:21:00.003-04:00

I realize it has been a looong time since I've been on here..

I won't make excuses, but between the son leaving (in 30 days) and the up coming nuptials, the indecision of colleges by my daughter, and a (slightly) major health crisis on my part I haven't been much in the spirit of blogging. But I'm starting to get the itch again.

The past Sunday we had dinner for 17 at the famous Barberton Chicken House that is Village Inn. It was a great time. Had my brothers & their families, close family friends and my cousin. Of course the table was so big that if we wanted to talk to somebody at the other end you literally had to get up and walk down, unless you are my oldest brother, then you call via cell phone.

My son is leaving for basic training on the 19th of May. He will be going to Fort Jackson. I'm of very mixed emotions on this one. Proud of him, scared for him and knowing that I will miss him a great deal. After all, how is he going to survive without his mom?? The wedding has been set for the first week-end in February 2011. I'm still not convinced either of them are ready for this, but will be supportive either way.

The daughter decided she wanted to go to a trade school in Florida, instead of Kent State. I was checking flights & hotels so we could visit the school and see where the housing will be. Then she found out it was over $20K more than Kent. I believe we are back to Kent(sigh), and now she's talking about working her way through college via the National Guard!! I'm supportive of this as well. Her perception is, that she would rather give 8 years of her life in service to Uncle Sam, than to have 20 years worth of student loans to pay off. Now she's thinking!! And once again, I'm proud!

Husband is down to an all first shift job now. And me?? I am sleep deprived (on top of my newest health issue). It wouldn't be so bad, except now we go to bed at the same time and he goes to sleep almost immediately. Me....it takes a good half hour just to stop my brain from working. So when he starts being a little (??an understatement) noisy over on his side, I can't get to sleep. I admit that I can get noisy too, but he's already asleep and doesn't bother him.

Well my friends, I promise to be a little more active on here, as there will be much to share.

Take care, and have a GREAT day.

P.S. J. I read Pride & Predjudice last week, great book. Then bought the Mini-Series staring Mr. Firth......I completely understand why you are such a fan!! I am now too!!

God Bless....

2010-01-22T16:52:00.004-05:00

Uncle Rusty..

God took this loving, faithful, all around wonderful man home last.

This is my Uncle Rusty, I was lucky enough to spend a good deal of quality time with him. Before he became sick he bowled on a league that shared the bowling alley with my bowling league. So I got to see him every Monday night. After he became sick and was hospitalized, I would pick him up on Mondays and take him with me so that he could watch his team (& mine) bowl. That is when I had this picture taken. I enjoyed my visits with him a great deal. And will miss that!! He was wonderful husband, dad, grandpa & uncle!! He was a very up beat and funny. And THAT I will miss a great deal!!

Please keep his family in your prayers.

Sorry...

2010-01-18T14:02:00.003-05:00

I didn't mean to be away so long. This year the holidays were a little tougher for me. I always miss my parents, but this year all I could remember was that 10 years ago was the last Christmas I had with my mom. So the depression hit me a little harder. And a little longer.

The good news is...I didn't get sick once through the holidays at all!!! I hosted my family on Christmas Eve...Big dinner and all. On Christmas Day, I hosted another big dinner for his side. Two hams, two everythings......whew....

The new year started out pretty good. Then took a topsy turvy turn this past week-end. The Air Force didn't want my son. He has no college degree, and apparently right now, that's all they are taking. The Navy (he really wanted to be a pilot) has a year and a half waiting list. So he went ahead and talked to an Army recruiter. He went ahead, just for giggles, and took their little test....the very next day (last Thursday)....the recruiter called him. Apparently he scored quite high on this test, especially the mechanical part of it. He leaves March 8th.....after basic training he will be going through a 20+ week course. There will be only 8 in the course. He will be learning to service those un-manned airplanes. The best part for me is, if he does get deployed, he'll be where those planes are...and not on the front lines. Big sigh of relief.

So...after mom quit crying, the same young man informed me that he would be getting married....MARRIED??? They haven't been 'serious' very long. And she's still in high school. They were thinking after his graduation from school next November. But I think we convinced them to wait until summer. Said son thought the Army would never give him any other time off except for the two weeks after that graduation. We told him to talk to others....they don't lock them up 365 days a year. Actually, they seem to be pretty good w/ vacation times.

Anyhow, a year that was supposed to be dedicated to my daughter's senior year, and abruptly taken a slightly odd turn for us. We will have a total of 4 graduations; two Army related and two high school related (have to include the possible future daughter-in-law I suppose).

The last 4 days have been a little on the un-nerving side for me. So I decided to unleash through here. I figured it was about time I came back. I never completely deserted any of you!! I have faithfully followed you all along. Just did it as an outsider!!

Thanks for Top Banana Cliff....Right back at cha!!!

Have a GREAT day!!

p.s. On Thanksgiving I tried brining my turkey...if you never have, I've got just one word...YUM!!!

I am Thankfull (really..)

2009-11-18T09:02:00.007-05:00

I am very proud to be an American, and proud of our armed forces and their quest to help preserve our freedom. But now I'm torn...my son announced last night that he is planning to enlist int he Air Force. And I don't know how I am to feel about that.

He's a man now, 20 years old. And is having trouble since graduation from Technical College getting a "real" job out in the "real" world.

He has always wanted to go into the Air Force, and has dreams of one day learning to fly, and being a pilot. He was told after 5 years he could get Lasik surgery (has bad eyes like mom) and then he would be able to learn to fly. Of course, I figured, they would want to wait until he had to re-up at least once. But he told me where ever he goes, he'll buy me a ticket to come see him, wants me to see the world as well. Which I would love, because my husband won't go anywhere that requires going by commercial air travel.

Speaking of the world, my daughter's plans for a major in college is Fashion Merchandising and may have an opportunity to study in Italy during her Jr. year. And I would absolutely love to go there!! Who knew having children could lead to world travel!!

So while I struggle with depression, and I always have a battle around the holidays (missing my parents doesn't help much), I will do my best to be Thankful this year that my family is together under one roof. And I will do my best not to worry about about where everybody will be next year at this time.

Hope you have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving holiday..From my family to yours!!

Happy Friday

2009-10-30T08:10:00.003-04:00

And Happy Birthday to Cliff of Wixy fame!!!

My daughter didn't get queen, but she's still my little princess. It was such a rainy night I had a hard time getting a good picture, so I waited for the professional ones to come in before I posted. And I think it turned out pretty good, considering.

Tonight is the last football game of the season, and it will be the last chance to hear the birthday boy do some band announcing. I'd like to say it's the last chance the team has to get a win, but the team we are going up against is in first place in our league, so maybe not. But those boys played with a lot of heart. In a year or two they should be really competitive with this new coach.

Yesterday I had to order my baby's cap and gown for graduation. Doesn't seem right that she's old enough for that. Where did all that time go?? But I'm very proud, and it's going to be a busy school year!! I am stocked up on Kleenex, because it seems every milestone makes me a little teary!!

Have a GREAT day!

Then & Now:

2009-10-05T12:30:00.006-04:00

Then: Maybe I should get some highlights.
Now: Can I consider those silver streaks bling??

Then: Where's the Clearasil?
Now: Where are the tweezers???

Then: Will they ever get here?
Now: Weren't they higher??

Then: Do these jeans give me a butt??
Now: Do these jeans hide my butt??

Then: Same pants are too big.
Now: Same pants won't button now.

Then: I wish my mom would let me live my own life.
Now: I wish my mom were here to tell me what to do.

Then: I can't wait to be married and have somebody to wash my car and keep my oil changed.
Now: Oil change $25.00; Car Wash & Sweep $21.00; Husband?? watching football or UFC

Then: Loved how the guys looked in Levi's
Now: Pull those dang pants up!!!

Then: I hate school.
Now: Wish I would have worked harder & gone on to college.

Then: Won't a Cleveland team ever win a Championship??
Now: Won't a Cleveland team ever win a Championship?? (for Cliff!!)

As my daughter is in the beginning of her senior year, it took me on a trip down memory lane. The way I used to be...the way I am now!! I know I am not alone in the "getting older" department...but sometimes it just feels like it. I could have gone on a lot more, but then I think it might have gotten embarrassing for everybody. LOL

The biggest difference between my daughter at this age, and myself at that age is that she is outgoing, smart and popular to where I was a wall flower and hoping nobody noticed me. I know that if we were the same age I would be one of the girls she calls 'just kinda weird'. And I know that we would probably have never been friends. So I consider myself lucky that I am her mom. And she loves anyhow!! And yes, she says I'm weird...ha....

This Friday night is our Homecoming, and she is on the Court. She's kinda nervous, but she's also excited she has a couple of friends there with her as well. She'd be just as happy if one of them would get crowned. Me?? I'm just proud to see her excelling in her school work and being somebody that the rest of her class considers worth being on the Court. She is was above the National Average on her ACT (and she's going to take it again to see if she can get a higher score), and is currently filling out an application for Kent State. How will I survive without her??

Have a Great day...more to come!!

Bad News-Good News....

2009-09-23T10:19:00.006-04:00

My niece's brother-in-law, Spc. Damon G. Winkleman, died as a result of a vehicle accident in Afghanistan this past Sunday. I feel so heartbroken for his family. Her husband (my nephew-in-law??) got home yesterday afternoon from Iraq. We are grateful for his safe return. I just want them to know we love them, and are praying for them.

Other news....I got my ticket for the November 20th, 12:01 AM premier of New Moon!!

Hope you are all having a great day!!! We'll be back soon!!

Back Up Again (for now)

2009-09-16T09:19:00.003-04:00

Well my Internet is finally back up, but my computer is still acting out. I guess it's getting old. About 6 years old, that's like 54 in computer years I think.

My first thought is about Patrick Swayze. I was in my early 20's (and in my first year of marriage) when Dirty Dancing came out. LOVED it. And my husband and I both really enjoyed the movies Ghost, Road House and Point Break. So I was very saddened to learn he passed away the other night. - R.I.P Patrick, and God Bless you, your family & your friends.

Yesterday I read an interview with the performer Pink, where she said that Mr. West (the VMA's worst enemy I think) is an idiot. I am inclined to agree. I love Taylor Swift, she's such a talented young girl with her two feel still planted firmly on the ground. I hope she always remains that way. Three cheers for Beyonce and her most dignified act of letting Taylor finish her speech during her moment in the spot light.

Last night we took our yearly trip to the Wayne County Fair. For the most part it was just like every other year there. Greasy Food, crowded and the overwhelming smell of animal poo...ha. I didn't get to go watch Diamond Rio performing this year, but I could hear them while we were walking around. They are one of my favorites. The most entertaining thing we got to watch was the mechanical bull ride. It proves that this is a farming county, not cowboy country. I must say it was hysterical.

Hope you are all having a great day, and I'm looking forward to getting to spend more time catching up with bloggerville!!

Old???

2009-09-02T12:43:00.005-04:00

Not sure what is making me feel old today. My son's 20th birthday on Monday, my daughter starting her Senior Year, or my new found back problems...or the fact that I turned 45 today. I'm not one of those women who are afraid to tell you her age! In fact, I embrace it because it took me a long time to get here!! Thru my Tom-Boy childhood, my shy teens and my wild early 20s (I feel lucky that I lived through them!!).

My guess it's because of the big silver streak that frames the part in my hair. I notice it every time I wash my hands in front of the mirror, under the florescent lights at work. Good thing I get to visit my stylist & Miss Clairol tomorrow!!!

Thanks for the poem Cliff.......you are the BEST!! See ya Saturday..

Jen: Hope you have a WONDERFUL Birthday!!

Everybody else, have a GREAT day!!!

Sleepwalker Parade

2009-08-01T11:58:00.010-04:00

I wanted to start by showing my pictures of the big "Sleepwalker" event in town..

This is my friend Billy and his 4 wheel bicycle. If you look closely behind him, there is a car seat. They have the most adorable little baby girl.

We were lucky enough that they stayed and visited a little while after the parade. Hadn't had a baby crawling around in years!!

Then we got to see the Cheerleaders for our High School. Obviously the one with the sling belongs to me. These girls are all going into their Senior year. I can't believe how much time has flown by!! Seems like just yesterday they were all starting first grade. I must admit I'm getting a little sad thinking about all this...so lets move on!!

I thought this little train was sooo cute...I got to watch it get assembled and get ready for the parade, it was one of the participants that lined up on the street I live on....Every year I take a half day vacation from work, to get home before I can't get into my driveway!!

Overall the parade was great, unfortunately by the time it got all the way down town, the rain had started, by the time it ended, it was pouring.....

And this is how it ended!!!!

At least they left my daughter out of it...she got to run the hose over them!!! A good time was had by all!!!

Have a Great Day!!

A random thought...

2009-07-22T14:32:00.003-04:00

A good friend and I were just e-mailing back and forth and the conversation made me recall and funny (to me anyhow) story from when I was buying my old mini-van years ago.

The sales man (who's daughter happened to be the co-conspirator in my daughter's roller blading evening) is a very good Christian man. During the process of filling out the paperwork, he reminded us that there was only one perfect being.....and he didn't build our van. That's why he was recommending the extended warranty. I didn't buy it, but I found the tactic very delightful!! And have always recommended him when somebody is looking for a vehicle in our area.

Hope you are having a GREAT day!!

Tired Tuesday...

2009-07-21T22:05:00.002-04:00

I only worked a partial day today because we had to take my daughter to the Dr. to get the Surgical cast off her hand. She was so nervous about it, and afterwards she was totally freaked out. This is her hand afterwards (and she was ordering her dad to pull out his phone and take this picture..but she can't even look at it..ha!). They took more X-rays and everything is looking good.

We go back next Tuesday to get the stitches out. And she has started physical therapy, she has to straighten her fingers out and try to make fists. The pins go around the tendons, but it still gives her quite a bit of pain to do these exercises. And she can't quite do these things all the way yet. She is fearing she won't ever be able to. Convincing her that it will get a little better everyday is not an easy task. She's so discouraged at this point. But mom & dad will keep cheering her on to move forward, and hopefully in a week or two she'll be pleasantly surprised. The pins have to stay in for 3 more weeks and she has a splint to wear to protect her hand.

In other news:

Anyhow, this morning my son's alarm went off at 5 a.m., then 5:09, etc, up until almost 6. Now, I have no reason to be awake that time of morning. And I wasn't a happy mom about it!! What amazes me that this loud obnoxious noise (from his cell phone) wakes me, but not him. And its right beside him!!! So this evening I'm quite exhausted. Any suggestions on how to get a 19 year old out of bed the first try?? I need the extra hour!!!

I hope YOU all have a GREAT day!!

Lazy Sunday....

2009-07-19T15:28:00.005-04:00

Well, after three doctors it was determined my daughter did need surgery. The bone in the hand leading up to the knuckle was pointing downward, so they had to move it back up, and the "head" (what we call the knuckle) was detached. So they had to use two pins to hold them together while it mends. She's in some pain, but not has bad as she feared. Below is an actual photo from the surgery, after the pins were in place.

We've been lazing around since the surgery Friday watching movies. I'm going broke on doctor fees and movie rentals...ha. But it's all good. She's getting ready now to go visit a friend that had been in a car accident and broke his femur bone in about 6 places. He had problems with blood clots so he's back in the hospital again. And he's more bored than her!!

This week brings my cousin from Florida (yes the one I visited twice in three months) to town. She always comes for the annual Sleepwalker parade and festival. The festival brings lots of people back to town that we haven't seen in years. So it should be a good time. The week ends with my annual Euchre card party. I'm also looking forward to that. I always like a party!!

This is a picture Monica took of us with her cell phone (we were at "bad" karaoke nite).

Have a GREAT day!!

Whew...

2009-07-14T12:13:00.003-04:00

I have been trying for days to get into here to enter a new post. For some reason it wouldn't let me in!!

Been a busy time since I have returned from my relaxing vacation in Florida.
Last Thursday night my daughter and her friends asked if it would be OK to go for a walk. Normally I get really nervous about walking "after dark". But since there were three of them, I thought OK, plus my daughter can just about out run ANYBODY.

A little while later they came back, while I was getting ready for bed (and for my allergy headache I took 2 ibuprofen PM tablets prior to this moment). And my daughter came to the bathroom door and mentioned that she and the one friend decided to roller blade instead of walk, while the other chose to ride a bike. I'm Like...OK....Then she said she fell...OK, I'll get the band aids and Neosporin...THEN she said, I think I need to go to the hospital (bunch of giggles from all three girls...giggles???). OK....Now I'm rushing to get re-dressed....Looked like she broke her hand....All mom could think of is "what part of roller blading after dark on our sidewalks seemed like a good idea?" People planted big Oak & Maple trees by these, some slabs can stick up over 2"!!

So off we go to the ER at Akron Childrens Hospital. Apparently she broke the "head" of the 1st bone in her left hand so while waiting for X-rays and somebody in Orthopaedics to put on a splint. I had "bike riding friend' chase down a caffeine filled soda to counteract the PM part of those pills I took earlier, I was getting sluggish & goofy. Probably didn't help I had three 17 year old girls giggling at the "cute" resident doctors. (Just to note: I am very thankful it was her left hand and not the right, and not her head, or her teeth!!). Yesterday we visited the Orthopaedic Dr. at the Crystal Clinic where they gave her a pretty Hot Pink cast. We are still waiting to hear if it will require surgery, the bone had a huge hunk broken off and they fear it could "tear" at the tendons running along her finger!! But the Specialist needed another specialist to look at the film.

So while we are dealing with the consequences of roller blading after dark, we get news from the dentist this morning that she needs her wisdom teeth out....she's not having a good summer!!! And she's not selfish....she's 17 and knows how to share her misery!! **sigh**

God love her...I do!!

Well...Hope you are all having a great summer...and I'll be back soon!!

p.s. My daughter's biggest concern???? The touch screen on her phone got stress fractures and doesn't work now.....I know...she's 17!!

Brrrr...

2009-06-30T10:37:00.002-04:00

We are expecting a high of 68 degrees here today. After a week of heat indexes in the 100's, I am feeling a bit chilled!!!
Outside the extreme heat in Florida, the trip was great! My time was split between my cousin's home and our friend's condo @ Orange Lake. We laughed, danced and threw a few back (not necessarily in that order). Was a very enjoyable week. My 75 SPF lotion came in very handy..I have no traces of sunshine on my face!! Unfortunately, after applying said SPF to my face, I must have placed my hand right on my upper thigh...and after a day in the sun I had a nice white hand print there!! (I used 30SPF on the arms and legs). I have managed to fill that in after an afternoon of reading a book on my chaise lounge in my back yard upon my return.
And speaking of my return home I found that my family apparently forgot how to do dishes. There were a couple pans that needed washed before I left (with a 'I promise mom, we'll do them') and amazingly enough...they were still there when I returned. Ugh......Or maybe there were just too busy putting weeds in my flower bed that will take my whole 3 day holiday week-end to pull!! That is if it ever stops raining...........sigh...............

Have a GREAT day!!

Thoughs for the road....

2009-06-18T09:25:00.003-04:00

My home computer is still acting up. Planning to have it looked at when I get back from Florida. So I'm sneaking at work!!

We took my daughter back up to Childrens Hospital the other day for her EEG & follow up appointment. All came out clear! They are now 99.9% sure this was just a complex migraine. She hasn't had an episode since. I feel like I can finally breath now. This week I had to pick up the proofs for her senior pictures. We did round 1 of pictures in February and round 2 in May. So now I have to choose between around 150 pictures!! I'm not sure how I can do that! She is an ambassor for the studio so at least I get all those proofs for free. And I think they did a terrific job!!

This is one of my favorites!! (picture is by Marty's Studio, Wooster OH)

Tonight I leave for Florida and won't be home until the 29th!! I'm hoping to get a little beach time in this trip. We have it in the plans anyhow. My friend has a condo at Orange Lake and we plan to spend a lot of time there!! Very nice place to visit. I packed 3 different sun screens. A heavy coverage for my face. A lite coverage for my first 15/20 minutes out side, then a bottle of armour for the rest of the day!! I'm very light complected so I do need to watch that. Having had Melanoma previously (it was dormant thank goodness), I don't want to risk another occurrence!!!

Recently I have joined the other millions on Facebook. I joined a few months back and dropped it about 5 minutes later. This time I kept it and decided I liked it. So if you are on there....we should become friends!! I have been able to keep up with my niece that moved to Nashville and have re-connected with friends I haven't seen in years!!! We had neighbors when I was growing up that moved away before kindergarten, moved back and moved away again in Jr. High school. I found them on there and we've been yapping ever since!! It has been fun (except for when the computer kicks me out...like I said..I will get it fixed!!!)

So I hope you all have a good week, I don't think I'll be able to surf the web much while there. But when I get the opportunity, I will visit you guys and play in my Facebook.

Have a GREAT day.

My baby.........

2009-06-03T09:16:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago my daughter woke up with her whole right side (Tongue to toes) tingling, like it had all be asleep. It went away after about 45 minutes and she went on to school, I called her when she got to school to tell her that I had made her a Dr. appt., because I didn't like that it even happened. Apparently on the way to school, she couldn't form a sentence that made any sense, this was only for a couple of minutes. Then it led into a major headache.
The Dr. made us an appointment with Akron Children's Hospital Nero Care Center. The two possibilities were a TIA (mini-stroke) or a Complex Migraine. After much searching through he Internet, I didn't like the sound of either, but at least the Migraines can be controllable.
Last week we went to the Hospital for an MRI. No residual affects were detected. So the TIA (thankfully) was ruled out. She goes for an EEG on the 16th, so we will see where that leads us next.
I appreciate the support I received when I asked for thoughts & prayers for her without an explanation why. Thank you....

I've been tagged...

2009-05-27T14:09:00.003-04:00

I was tagged by Wixy to list 6 UNIMPORTANT THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY...

1) My MP3 Player

2) Thinking about my up and coming trip to Florida. Or any vacation!

3) Remembering the days of yesteryear when the kids didn't know how to talk back!!!

4) Sitting in our lawn chairs in the driveway looking up at the stars.

5) My roses bushes in bloom.

6) The Sunroof in my car (and the MP3 Plug In)

I tag:

Jeri @ ImBeingHeldHostage
Daisy @ SmilingwithDaisy
Bobbi @ HuskeyHappenings

p.s. Jeri..I haven't been able to change my Playlist yet. Will do it soon!!! Promise....

Have a GREAT day.

Bad Day....

2009-05-21T15:56:00.002-04:00

In my job I do a lot of AP/AR type of work. Our A/P dept (in another state) has a weird way of doing things. I received an e-mail notice that one of my invoices was going to have a payment delay. With an explanation that was written in english, but made ABSOLUTELY no sense and signed by "jmd". There are 25,000 in our company world wide. And probably 50 in our A/P dept. alone....

I guess I'm just supposed to know how to find this "jmd" in our company address book...Which isn't done by location, just by name!!!!

double ugh....

Great Show!!

2009-05-21T09:33:00.002-04:00

I will have to say, that American Idol had the best finish ever. By the time the two hours were over and they were ready to announce our new idol..I almost forgot why I was watching. It was the most entertaining show I've seen in a long time. From Keith Urban to Kiss to the remaining Queen members...I was just so excited!! I was also happy nobody else was home to see me doing the butt scootin boogie on the couch!! ha.

My prediction of Danny winning obviously wasn't going to come true, but I did guess that Kris would get all the Gokey votes....and he did. (My boss and I have bet about these things all season long...I've won most!!) What a great show though!!! And I'm happy that Kris took it home! How humble was he?? How shocked was he?? LOL I thought he was going to try to give it back so Adam could have it. But you know, singers like Kris last a lot longer in the music world than flamboyant showmen like Adam. Although I really enjoyed listening to and watching Adam, I think I would be more inclined to buy a CD that Kris would record.

SO GREAT JOB KRIS.....

Have a great day!!

Kisses..

2009-05-14T15:51:00.001-04:00

I loved Daisy's post on kisses yesterday.

If you haven't read it yet, take a look now....Daisy-Kisses

Have a GREAT day...

2009-05-11T08:33:00.004-04:00

The past week has been nothing but Prom. It took us almost 6 hours to decorate the whole lobby and only 45 minutes to tear it down. I will post pictures of our work later, but for now I'll just share a few candids.

The first picture is of my son & daughter. Unfortunately they went to two separate Proms so sneaking in a picture of them together was a real chore. The second picture is of my daughter and her friends. The girls spent more on their tennis shoes than the dressy shoes (my daughter borrowed the dressy shoes, so saved $$ there!!). The shoes were a result of my daughter's extreme discomfort at Prom #1 last month. So she enlisted friends to help easy the pain of this Prom.

Have a good day.

More on my Trip...

2009-05-04T11:35:00.004-04:00

This was the first trip to Florida I have taken that didn't involve the beach. Which was OK. My cousin has a pool (though it was cold!!) and we sat on the deck a lot. She also took me to different towns around that she frequents. What surprised me is how much they are like the small towns around here. I'm not sure what I expected, but I guess I didn't expect that.

One of my favorites we visited was Winter Garden. She said they were giving the whole town a face lift. And so far, I think they are doing a great job. This picture here is of a little park type place in the middle of the road. I thought it was charming.

Below are some random shots around town (the pizza company was where we met her boyfriend for dinner). Talk about an old movie theatre, you'd think they'd at least put newer movies in there!! ha..

Due to the state of my home computer, I have to do this from work now. And it is frowned upon (even though I'm at lunch). So I cheated a little bit and put them all onto one page. I loved the GE sign. Haven't seen one of them in years!!

Taking another trip was a little nerve wracking, since the last time I went my daughter got into her car wreck. So I was a little on edge while there. All went well on the home front until the week AFTER I got back. We found out she may have some health issues, and we are very concerned (and mom a little panicked). So please keep her in your thoughts..Thanks.

Have a GREAT day...

Back Home Again...

2009-04-28T10:12:00.003-04:00

It was a short trip, but a fun one. My computer at home is going through a personal crisis so I am having a hard time doing anything from there. Hopefully we can get it back up and running soon.

But in the meantime, here is a group of women that I'm sure had already had a little too much fun at Bad Karaoke night!! (Is that possible???). More pictures coming.............

Have a great day.

Busy Weekend....

2009-04-20T10:01:00.004-04:00

I hope you all had a great week-end.

We started off with the pan-cake breakfast for the Post Prom committee. Then it was off to the races getting ready for Prom event #1 (w/ dress #1). My daughter goes to our county Career Center, and their prom was this past Saturday. Her date was just a good friend of hers, and is was a very nice young man. The girl that did her hair is in her cosmotology class at school. I thought she did a very nice job. And it didn't cost ME a thing!! I liked that!!

I am taking off tomorrow morning to visit with my cousin in Florida until Friday. A much needed break. Seeing that it's supposed to rain here the next few days, I'm glad to be heading for the sunshine.

Hope you all have a Super week!!

Spring is Here..

2009-04-13T14:32:00.002-04:00

And it’s time to get to work…

We decided to buy a new propane grill over the week-end. Our house came with a built in natural gas grill. But every spring we have to re-build parts of it that couldn’t take the winter. And I never liked the fact it didn’t move. It’s right in the middle of the patio, so the picnic table is almost on the edge. And because of this, we never did much with it. But now we can remove this eye sore, and fill in the hole with some quick crete. And with a little work we will finally have a functional patio. I’m excited about that. The new grill will be kept in the garage year round. No rain or snow for it!!

My first priority though is my kitchen cupboards. I started painting them last year, and never got them done. Although it is pretty convenient to just walk in and grab what you want. I still think I’d like to have the doors back on!! We went an untraditional route and painted them a very soft yellow. Husband wanted to do white, but the walls were white, and I thought it would brighten it up a bit. Plus it gave me an excuse to drag out my white & blue curtains with daisies and sunflowers on them (I’ve had them since the old house and always loved them). I bought glass panels for the top doors (glue chip design) and wood paneling for the bottom doors. The plastic inserts they had were ugly, and weren’t going to be easy to keep paint on. The things they did to houses in the 70’s were amazing. And I don’t mean that in a good way. LOL

I hope you all had a Happy Easter, and have a wonderful week!!

p.s. No Priors
Those were the words we heard while visiting the police station the other day. Because of those words, we opted not to press charges. It would be our son’s word against his. The officer stated that jury’s can be funny in these types of situations, when they don’t know who to believe, they tend to sway towards the one they think appears more honest, or they just like the way they look better. So we do nothing now….Again…UGH

Idol Update....

2009-04-07T21:21:00.003-04:00

Well, my top three favorites for the night have changed!!! Danny was outstanding tonight in my opinion. And Adam....well, he's Adam, loved him again, but Allison is the one that really stands out for me this time.

Tonight I was disappointed with Kris. I didn’t think it was his best performance. But it was still enjoyable, and he's still one of my favorites. Lil, again, was just OK. She hasn’t knocked me off my feet for awhile now. Although the judges really liked Anoop this week, it just wasn’t one of my favorites either. My guess is that Lil and Anoop will be the bottom two tomorrow night.

Biggest suprise tonight....Scott. I did not agree with the judges. It was the first performance of his that I really enjoyed. He's not the best singer in the bunch, but tongiht, he entertained.

Have a GREAT day.

Monday Updates...

2009-04-06T10:42:00.004-04:00

Well, the police have spoken to the guy and his girlfriend that assaulted my son. The guy denied everything. While the girlfriend pretty much threw him under the bus and told ALMOST the same exact story my son did. We go meet with the officer today to decide our next move. Since we all live in the same small town, we will probably go ahead and press charges so that my son can get a restraining order against the guy. We'll decide later today.

Then we found out that a person my son went to school with was also attacked by this same guy!! The friend never went to police (the incident wasn't quite as severe), but is going to tell our detective his story. So if needed in court, he'll testify to the erratic behavior of this guy.

We'll think more about that later....ugh...2 weeks till Florida....

Being a fan of American Idol, I was so proud of Carrie Underwood getting the ACM Entertainer of the Year award last night. I just adore her, and knew from the first time I saw her that she would do big things. So Congratulations to Carrie!!!!

Oh, and I forgot to wish my brother a Happy Birthday Friday.....So HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG BROTHER!!!!!

Have a FABULOUS day.

It's Monday Again...

2009-04-03T10:17:00.002-04:00

Last week I got to meet my new Dr. I really like him, he seems very nice. I visited with his NP the week prior and got started on new blood pressure medicine and she ordered up my blood tests for my physical. The first question he asked me when we met was “Do you eat meat”. And I said yes (he’s a vegan and eats or drinks nothing w/ a face). So he was all ready to give me the big lifestyle choices seminar and how bad meat is for you. But when he brought up the results of all the blood work, he was amazed that my cholesterol was only a 79. So I guess I have his approval to keep on being a “meat and potatoes” kind of gal. But per the BMI chart, I need to lose about 15 to 20 pounds. Ugh. My soda intake was a little on the high side, and the Dr. said if I cut out at least 2 a day, I would lose up to 2 pounds a week.

So, it started. I still get my morning Pepsi (need the caffeine since I can’t stand coffee). And the rest of the day is water. Unfortunately, I can’t stand the taste of any of the drinks w/ artificial sweeteners. So far the one I like and can tolerate, is Crystal Light, Peach/Mango Green Tea. Everyday lunch is a salad and fruit from the local supermarket (which has a salad bar better than most restaurants). I snack on Cheerios in the mornings and eat a sensible dinner at night. I really try to watch my portions and not eat more than I need. And after a week??? I still have those 2 pounds I gave up the Pepsi for.**sigh**

But I won’t give up. The goal I have set for myself is to quit smoking after I lose the first 10 pounds. (Historically in my family, when somebody would quit, their weight would balloon somewhat…that scares me). The Dr. was happy I had a plan, and felt it was a good one for me. During the winter I had two bouts with the flu and a major sinus/ear infection. Left me worn out and no energy, so I didn’t get in the exercise I needed. And I gained a little weight. So we have started the evening walking again. Which I am happy about, I LOVE to walk. I just needed the motivation to get out there a do it again.

The reason behind my title “It’s Monday Again”: Well, when I was young my mom would start a diet EVERY Monday. We knew every Monday evening when we’d sit down to dinner, we’d need a napkin over our milk glasses because mom would be eating half a grapefruit for dinner, and we wanted to keep the squirting juice out of our drinks. It was probably a good thing we all wore glasses!! By Tuesday we could leave them off again. :o) I do miss my mom.

Have a GREAT week-end everybody!!

Last minute thought: Oh yeah, I’m happy with the American Idol results this week!!!

Notes on a Non-Whiny Wednesday....

2009-04-01T08:28:00.004-04:00

No whining today (well, I could...it's not close enough to Friday yet!!!)

First, My American Idol Wrap, my top three favorites last night are probably no surprise, thought Danny was terrific, Adam was pretty cool and Kris is really starting to shine. And Megan?? Not so good! If other people heard what I heard, Megan & Anoop will be in the bottom tonight.

And so on...
Last night a girl called in to one of our local pizza places where my son's friend works (for a small town, we have a lot of pizza places!!). She left her name and number and twenty minutes later came in to pick up her pizza. When she pulled up, his friend noticed something strange about her car. So when she was leaving she backed up toward the building and he got a good look at her bumper.....it was the same car that slammed on it's brakes in the middle of the entrance ramp to the highway 5 days earlier in front of my son!!! We got 'em!! The detective assigned to his case is out until Thursday, so he will find out then what he needs to do next.

And last but not least...
Yesterday I purchased tickets for a return visit to my cousin in Florida. We are both excited. She is getting her pool up and running for the year, so it should be ready when I get there! Not that it would matter, the deck sitting beside it is always ready and inviting!!! We may take in an afternoon at the beach also. Doesn't really matter, I'm looking forward to just "chillin" w/ my cuz. And I'm in dire need of a break!!

Hope you have an AMAZING day!!!

Panic Attack for Mom...

2009-03-30T12:27:00.003-04:00

My son got assaulted the other day, by somebody he didn’t know.

Some guy reached in his car and tried to choke him. My son was seat belted in, and tried to fend the guy off with his left arm, while reaching for his pocket knife with his right, and finally had to threaten to put his pocket knife in the guys throat if he didn’t let go.

All my son was doing was driving home from work. He was minding his own business; when a car crosses 4 lanes of traffic and pulled out right in front of him, causing him to slam on his brakes. After turning a corner, the car proceeds to slam on their brakes again, brake checking him I guess. He said he was no where near, and didn’t even come close to hitting the car. After making another turn (they were both heading onto the highway) the car proceeds to stop in the middle of the entrance ramp to the highway, causing my son to stop once again. The passenger of the car jumped out of their car and ran back to my son’s vehicle. And proceeded to assault him. The guy also threw a cigarette in his face and it landed in his lap, burning a hole in his pants.

After my son’s threat (which I warned him could have made the situation worse), the guy let him go and started pounding on my son’s car; the driver of the car (the guy’s girlfriend) got out and started smacking her boyfriend. But what bothers me the most is that my son noticed all these cars going by and nobody did anything. He wasn’t surprised nobody stopped, but wondered why nobody at least called the police. And why these people, whom he had never seen before, were doing this to him….and while all this was going on, there was a baby in their car!!

He did file a report with the police. He couldn't get the plate number, but it was an older, beat up car. My son said he would know it anywhere. So there are two towns, plus the sheriff looking for it. Hope they find them soon!!!

Ugh......I need a vacation........more on that later!!!

Idol Top Ten...My Opinion

2009-03-25T21:46:00.003-04:00

Well I want to start by saying my favorite two, Danny & Adam (who looked pretty good as a normal person) were, in my opinion, the best two. Danny was just full of life singing "Get Ready" and put on a great show (what do the judges know anyhow!!), and Adam did an awesome job with singing "Tracks of My Tears", even Smokey himself liked it!! Now I remember why I love Motown so much...

On the bottom of the list, I'm sorry to say, was Megan Joy. She sang "For Once in My Life". And I had to agree with the judges. It was not her best moment on the show. Michael Sarver, as much as I thought it was a good performance, was not his best singing this year. Unfortunately I didn't care for Scott MacIntyre's version of "Can't Hurry Love". They are my pick for the bottom 3.

But probably one of the best performances tonight was Allison Iraheta singing "Papa was a Rolling Stone". All I could think was "WOW". Lil Rounds singing "Heatwave" was also pretty Hot.

Rounding out the show:
Matt Giraud - Let's Get it On = Way Cool
Kris Allen - How Sweet It Is = Very talented young man
Anoop Desai - Baby Baby = one word: Smooth

Have a GREAT day!!!

Happy Happy Monday

2009-03-23T16:26:00.003-04:00

I was reading a post by In The Gutter and as usual enjoyed the way she tells stories of her daily life. I found her by surfing through different blogs, and the name of her post drew me in. No, not because that’s where my mind always is, but because it’s the name of my bowling team. The meaning behind our team’s name would depend on the night!! Sometimes it is our minds, other times it is our bowling balls. Oh, and sometimes it’s both!!! But we always have fun.

Her post on Saturday referenced “Labor Pains”. It started out:

I dare you to challenge me. How many of you swore at the Hubby during a 12-hour labor, only to then swear your undying love as you both held the newborn close and happily sobbed?

It made me chuckle. Whenever I’m in a group of women who decide to talk about the births of their children, and the 3 days of labor they went through (OK, maybe I’m exaggerating) I’m the one that quietly says, when asked, that my longest labor was probably not quite a half hour. I know, I suck. I didn’t have the opportunity to swear at my husband either, he didn’t make it to the hospital in time for the first one, and the second went too fast. As for how long I remembered the pain afterwards? Once my little 3lb 14oz son was pushed beside me in his incubator and I got to touch his tiny little hand, I forgot all about it. That's when the sobbing started, he went to a different hospital within an hour after birth. By the way...he's over 6' tall now, and going to college.

But I remembered the pain as soon as #2 started making her way into the world, it all came flooding back. With a vengeance!! LOL. But alas, it was well worth it. OH yeah, I am also the one that got pregnant the first time, both times. My husband thought that sucked, LOL. My mother was the same way, guess I was born into a good gene pool for baby makers.

Anyhow, tonights venture to the bowling alley will be a good one. My BFF Bobbi Jo from Phoenix is in town, and will be coming to see me. More on that tomorrow!!

Have a good day!!

Idol through my ears....

2009-03-19T14:24:00.003-04:00

OK, I’m happy Danny Gokey is safe another week.

Alexis is a good singer, but personally I didn’t like her version of Jolene (OK, I just don’t like that song at all). She had a chance to save herself, but I think she was so nervous & upset that she couldn’t pull it together enough to impress the judges. I would imagine that she felt a lot more pressure last night, than on Tuesday.

The highlights from Tuesday, for me, were Kris Allen singing Make You Feel My Love, and Matt Giraud singing Carrie Underwood’s Small. As much as I like Adam, his rendition of Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire was just too weird for even me. Really, what the H….E…..double hockey sticks was that all about???

And last but not least, Kudos to Megan for making it through those two nights with the flu. I can’t imagine how rough that must have been on her. I really didn’t care for her Patsy Cline, but was impressed with her staying power through the evening.

And it was a nice surprise to see Brad Paisley last night. What a great song that was. What a lucky woman Kimberly Williams-Paisley is!!!

Peek-a-Boo

2009-03-17T12:56:00.003-04:00

Spring has Sprung (or at least it's trying to)

Have a GREAT St. Patricks day!!

The Party...

2009-03-16T08:41:00.006-04:00

Well, it's over!! And I'm still tired!! The party went smoothly, we had no trouble with the kids that came. And my daughter said she had a great day and fun night.

We were absolutely thrilled with how the cake turned out. Black & White was the theme, so you weren't able to eat most of the decorations on the cake. With the exception of the black M & M's. Here are a few pictures from her party.

Eating Cake and Getting down!!!

Have a GREAT day.

Here I am Again!!

2009-03-11T09:04:00.002-04:00

OK, some of you may understand what I'm about to say, and some of you won't, but I'm going to say it anyhow....

I like Danny Gokey....I think he has the potential to go all the way in this year's competition!!

(Although a close runner-up in my book is Adam, his version of Michael Jackson's Black or White just rocked last night)

Have a GREAT day!!

Tuesday Tales...

2009-03-10T10:49:00.003-04:00

It’s been a busy week in our household. Getting ready for a big shin-dig this week-end. Last year our daughter turned 16, and due to our economic troubles we couldn’t afford to do much. But she at least had a car!! This year, since my husband has been working 7 days since May 2008, we were in a little better shape. So we decided to throw her a surprise 17th birthday party.

Things started out pretty good, then we decided we’d let her in on it. We rented a room and an electronic DJ machine. She was very excited and has jumped in to help plan with both feet. She decided she wanted a Black & White affair. So everybody who comes must wear black and/or white. Apparently she exempted herself from that rule. She bought a purple dress yesterday. LOL.

We’ve ordered the cake, bought the decorations and decided upon a menu (sort of). Now all I need to do is buy the food and get cooking!! I gave her 60 invitations, but she’s told me she’s had others asking if they could come. So I’m unsure of how many people I’m cooking for. My main menu item is Sloppy Nachos, a favorite from my days in the Band concession stand. And I’m thinking a couple 6’ subs from Wal-Mart. They do a pretty good job, and they are reasonably priced. She wants punch w/ 7Up & Sherbet. I’m thinking that would take a lot of sherbet for 60+ people (including refills!!) So I’m thinking about forgetting the frosty treat for the beverage. If anybody has a good recipe for a fruity punch that is cost effective, just let me know!!

Update on Uncle Rusty…
Considering a couple months ago he battled a very bad blood infection, he is doing remarkably well. The mind seems to be succumbing to the Alzheimer a bit more, but physically, he’s better than he’s been in quite awhile. Went to visit on Sunday and he asked if we’d take him out side so he could smoke his pipe. So we obliged. It has only been recently he’s wanted to go out for his pipe. He’d gone months without ever mentioning it. Good signs I think.

Update on the Newly Weds…
My niece is back from her Honeymoon (unfortunately she had to leave her new husband in Kentucky). While gone they found a nice little house to rent. She sent pictures and it’s definitely a cute little place. They get to move in on the 1st. So my brother will be losing his baby very soon. Fort Campbell is pretty close to Nashville, where I have a few cousins. So I guess I will make an effort to go visit this summer. For years they have been asking me to come for a visit. The one cousin has grand children I have never gotten to see yet. Hopefully it will all work out.

Have a GREAT day.

The Wedding Day...

2009-03-01T17:46:00.011-05:00

My niece's wedding went beautifully. She was beautiful. The whole day from start to finish went without a hitch. Might have been cold, but there was no snow or overcast sky. The sun shinned on the happy bride!! Here is a couple pictures from her big day.

The first picture is from the reception. I didn't have a good seat at the wedding, the church was pretty small, so I had heads in my view. So most of my pictures are from the reception. Which was really nice. Her dress was trimmed in light blue. Very beautiful. Click on it to get a better view.

Here's the bride with my oldest brother (not her dad). Him and his wife, in center, gave the dinner as their wedding gift. My sister-in-law cooked almost everything. And it was VERY GOOD!!!

And here are the very proud, yet exhausted parents of the bride. My brother Randy, fresh from surgery last Friday and his very lovely wife.

And here is the proudest Aunt there ever could be. With a rather daper looking date. Was nice to have an occasion to get dressed up for. We definately don't do it very often!!!

Have a GREAT day!!!

(Next week-end a Black & White 17th birthday party for our youngest!!!)

Gift Registries...

2009-02-24T10:13:00.002-05:00

I like the idea of gift registries. My niece signed up for two, one at Kohl’s and one at Wal-Mart. In my opinion, two cost effective places. When finishing up shopping for her bridal shower (the night before), I went to Kohl’s to get her some things from her list. I bought a few items and checked out, making sure they scanned the registry to mark them off her list.

Now, for what I don’t like about registries. At the shower I noticed she got quite a few gifts that were still on the registry the night before. So it seams the problem with these registries is that some people either get the gifts at the store and don’t have them scan the gifts off the registry, or they went elsewhere to purchase the gift. Which means the gift didn’t get marked off the registry. I suppose it could be that EVERBODY went shopping at 8:00 the night before and that's why there were still on there for me!!

So when I was ready to go shopping for the actual wedding, I was a little apprehensive about using her registry and decided to go on my own course. I went to Pier One (because I know she loves that store as much as I do) and got her a really cool gift. And because it came with two baskets, I will fill them with towels or something off her registry. In my opinion, you can never have enough of those!!

Anyhow...
The wedding is this Saturday and her dad is doing great. He had the final stent put in last Friday and is back to work today. He has lost 39 pounds, hasn’t lit up since his heart attack and is taking his diet very seriously. My sister-in-law said that he actually went to the grocery store with her for the first time in YEARS. He’s even said he liked veggie burgers and soy sausage. For now, I will just have to take his word on that one!!!

Have a great day!!

Sad News...

2009-02-14T21:57:00.004-05:00

An old friend of mine from my high school years lost his mother yesterday morning. I hadn't seen her in over 20 years, but she was a very sweet lady.

The newest song on my playlist was his favorite song back then. So it is dedicated to him.

With my deepest sympathy.

Meet the family....

2009-02-14T18:58:00.012-05:00

I finally remembered to take a few pictures to work and scan them.

So I'd like to introduce you to my parents:

I'm guessing the top picture was taken in the late 1940's or early 50's. I'm unsure. But they were so cute back then. The picture was taken at my Aunt Mae's house in Dearborn, MI. I recognize it from my childhood years.

The picture above was from the early 1980s. I love these pictures and am happy I was finally able to get them onto my computer. This was the only formal pictures that my parents ever did. I am not sure of the exact year, but that's pretty much how my father looked before he got sick.

This is me and my brothers on Christmas Eve of 2006. My oldest brother, Tim, is on the left, and my brother Randy on the right. Randy is the one that had the heart attack right before Christmas this year. He is doing FANTASTIC. They are going to put it he last stent this coming Friday morning. His rehab is going great also, he can do the treadmill for 45 minutes and has lost 30 pounds. I'm very proud of him, and very happy he's still here for me to be proud of!!!

The above picture is Tim and his wonderful Pam. The picture on the right is his daughter, Jeni, and her children. Cody, Adrianna and Rebecca Lynn.

And this is Randy's family. From L to R. Derek (twin 1) Kelly, Tammy, Lindsey (twin 2) and Randy. February is a hugh month for this family, as Kelly is getting married in two weeks. Hard to believe it. They all grow up so fast. I will be posting pictures from the wedding.

Well, I will have more to talk about later, as a lot has happened recently.

Hope you are having a GREAT day!!

Now you know my ABCs

2009-02-06T09:11:00.004-05:00

OK, Cliff tagged me, so here it is.

The ABC's of Brenda

A. Attached or single?
22 years Married

B. Best friend?
Bobbi Jo

C. Cake or pie?Pie –
Chocolate (from scratch)

D. Day of Choice?
Sunday

E. Essential item?
My Phone

F. Favorite color?
Purple

G. Gummy bears or worms?
Bears

H. Hometown?
Rittman, Ohio

I. Favorite indulgence?
Sephora (my favorite store!!)

J. January or July?
JulyK.

Kids?
1 Boy, 1 Girl

L. Life isn’t complete without?
My can of Pepsi

M. Marriage date?
August 16, 1986

N. Number of magazine subscriptions?
0 Although I buy People & ABC Soaps In Depth regularly

O. Orange or apple?
Orange

P. Phobias?
Planes falling on me (Or would that come under recurring nightmare?)

Q. Quotes?
It’s Mind over Matter..If I don’t mind, than it don’t matter

R. Reasons to smile?
My kids

S. Season of choice?
Fall

T. Tag 5 people
Huskey Happenings Smiling With Daisy unglazed-Jen (I'm still pretty new, I only have 3)

U. Unknown fact about me?
It’s a little known fact anyhow…I have nightmares about planes falling on me.

V. Vegetable?
Carrots

W. Worst habit?
Smoking

X. X-ray or ultrasound?
Depends

Y. Your favorite food(s)?
Shredded Beef Chimichanga from ChiChi’s (circa 1985)

Z. Zodiac sign
Virgo

2009-02-04T12:40:00.002-05:00

Well, it’s Wednesday, and I do have something to whine about!! Whine #1: I have Achilles Tendonitis in my right heel. They put my on a 6 day steroid pack to try to get the swelling down. Well, my blood pressure and those pills did NOT get along. I had to quit after a day and a half of taking them. So I guess I get a boot next week if the Ibuprophen doesn’t help. And it so hurts. And since all my shoes hurt it, I had to go out and buy a new pair of shoes that would be more comfortable. So I found a pair of Sketchers. I absolutely love them!!! Kind of takes the edge off the pain!! LOL

Not a whine: As I have mentioned before, I am not political, but I do try to keep up on what is going on in the world and in our nation. And today on one of the news web sites I read an article that actually made me say out loud “it’s about time”. I believe that salaries for CEO’s should be capped. For all companies though, not just the ones that need ‘bailout’ assistance. I can not even imagine how many jobs would be saved if every company in this country had to cap the incomes of their executive officers. I mean seriously, how could you possibly spend 40 million in one year? And how can they sleep at night knowing people lost their jobs so they could have their bonuses? UGH Anyhow, enough of that. Whether they realize it or not…we do…they can’t take it with them when they go.

Whine #2: I went to take my puppy out this morning and it snowed more!! Not much in our area, but still. I am soooo ready for spring. But if I’m to believe a rodent, it will be awhile. I guess we’re lucky Groundhog’s day wasn’t last week. The darn thing probably wouldn’t have even come out!! What would that mean? But then Cliff’s friend Dick Goddard depends on Woolly Worms to predict our winters. And OK… whenever I seen a bunch of cows lying around, I always figure it’s going to rain. And it usually does!! So if the animal kingdom can predict our weather, why doesn’t the Weather Channel and Animal Planet combine. Jim C. could report on hurricanes from the top of an elephant. I’m sure THAT would keep him anchored!!

Hope you have a GREAT day.

Tuesday Ramblings...

2009-02-03T09:00:00.003-05:00

Try as I might, I just can’t seem to get on here and post as much as I would like. And most the time when I do, my mind goes blank. But not today. Being here in Ohio, the different seasons has always been what I liked best. But this year, I think I’m tired of the cold & snow finally.

On Sunday I got a little break from it all. At 6 a.m. on Sunday morning I boarded a plane to Houston, and then on to Birmingham, Alabama. It was 60ish in Birmingham, and I got to spend 3 hours at their airport enjoying that. Then it was on to Atlanta, then back to Cleveland, landing at 8 p.m. I’ve never flown so much in one day and actually never went anywhere. My job that day (yes, it was technically working, although I was getting comp time instead of overtime, my choice) was to delivery parts to our service techs who are working in Alabama. Miss Erika (one of our Engineers) met me at the airport and picked up my “baggage”. And then left me there to wait!! Birmingham Airport is an interesting place to people watch. The police at the airport have these little three wheel motorized scooters. And the one office was apparently bored and was doing wheelies and stuff with his. I applauded and thanked him for the spontaneous floor show that I was getting. Told him that it made my day! I’m sure there is a lot to do in Birmingham, just not @ the airport. You can trust me on this, because I was there for 3 hours!!!

Fortunately, Atlanta was a shorter layover and has more things to see & do while waiting. And they also were able to get me on an earlier flight home, and that cost me nothing!! The good news is, all the effort was worth it. The freezer at the customer site was up and running by that evening. There were a few more glitches, but they are almost all worked out and our Techs & Engineers should be coming home soon. After 4 weeks, I’m sure they are extremely happy about that!!!

So back to our weather, we are expecting about an inch of snow today, less than an inch tonight, and an inch tomorrow!! ***SIGH***. But there seems to be a glimmer of hope, it is supposed to be around 45 degs on Saturday with rain. I am thinking of sitting my car outside all day with a little strip of car wash from bumper to bumper, maybe it’ll get clean finally! I hate a gritty car. Ick.

I hope you are all well, I do try to keep up reading your sites, just don’t always get the chance to comment. But I do enjoy reading them.

Note to Jen: I like the alphabet thingy you are doing on your site on Mondays. I was going to try to join in that, even had a picture for the B’s…so I may not get to do this weekly, but here’s my B...finally……Monday is Bowling night, and I decided to have a beer!!!

Cheers!!!!

I was tagged....

2009-01-27T19:07:00.004-05:00

I don't have anybody to tag..but I'll do the picture anyhow.

So, I don't have 5 folders (my daughter has taken over "my pictures"), so I just figured I would go with the 5th picture in the one folder I have. And boy what a suprise it was!! LOL. A girl I worked with has an account with one of those sites that you can put your face in the picture. Well, she had fun with it and put a bunch of us from the office in this picture.

I'm slightly embarassed!! HA

Have a great day!!!

Ugh!!!

2009-01-19T17:32:00.003-05:00

While on the way home from work today I was listening to the 70's on 7 (XM radio) and the song playing was Baby Come Back by Player.

I used to love this song, it was a beautiful song...

I say WAS because now when I hear it, all I can think of is how my house probably needs dusted and my floors need mopped. Another song ruined by commercialism!!

And how was your day????

p.s. don't worry I'll move the song in a couple of days, don't want other housewives having the same problem with it I do!!!

Happy Monday...

2009-01-19T08:37:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year!!!

I’m a little late in getting this one going!! But, I was late for my Christmas post, so maybe by the end of the year I will be caught up! There is always hope!!!

I love the winter time. I love the snow!! But even I got tired of the Arctic blast that came through here last week. My windows in my car were froze up. Had to use the ATM when you can’t roll down your window. The house was doing some major creaking. Usually the puppy loves to run and play in the snow, even she didn’t like it out there. She would go right out, and come right back in!! This actually was nice, because it’s hard to get her inside once she is out!! Whenever there is deep snow I have to make paths for her, kinda cute seeing her little head popping up above the drifts. She is black, so it’s the only time of year I can see her at night. I am thinking of getting her a collar that lights up. We like to go on walks at night, and sometimes she is just hard to see!!

Pebbles is a Schipperke (Skipper Key), they were bred to be on canal boats to chase vermin & be watch dogs. I think it’s appropriate because if you look at her head from the back, it almost looks like a cat, but on the other hand, she is afraid of everything!! According to a web site I was reading, the word Schipperke means Little Captain of the boat.

She is definitely a fun dog to have around, she is just a joy. The kids and I begged for years to get a puppy, and my husband was hesitant, first he said we needed to wait until we had a house with an actual back yard. Ok that happened, and still he said no. So about 7 years ago my husband told me he wanted to get a motorcycle. It was my turn to say no. Then I relented and I told him he could have his bike, if we could get a dog. Major negotiating point!!

So off we went to “The Pet Pajamas” store, to just look at the puppies. And we saw these little black dogs that were just so cute. They brought one out, and her and my husband fell instantly in love. They picked each other out. To this day, she will be where ever he is in the house. She could be sitting with me, and I will be rubbing her tummy and she’ll be has content as can be. Then he’ll get up to leave the room, and I lose her. Just not fair!!

Have a GREAT day.

More of my favorite things....

2009-01-06T18:35:00.015-05:00

Finally!!! Here it is....Buckeye Balls!! These are the first thing we make every year. It's also the only treat we make a double batch of. And it's also the first gone!!! I don't even think they made it to Christmas!!
One of my favorite Christmases was (I believe) 1997. My Aunt Mae & Uncle Paul came up from Kentucky to spend the Holiday with us. They were both in their upper 80's, but the still made the trip. For them I got a picture frame photo album, and put all the pictures from that Holiday in there for them. They were tickled. After Aunt Mae passed away I went to Kentucky to get their Credenza & Mirror (w/ matching candle sticks) for my mother. I knew exactly where she kept that photo album, and I got it back again!!

When I was a little girl, that credenza sat in their hallway (they lived in Dearborn, MI at the time) and on that sat a beautiful porcelain woman holding a basket w/ flowers in it. I always loved looking at that as a little girl. Thought she was beautiful. Anyhow, the Christmas they came up, guess what I got for a present....It was the most wonderful gift I ever received. And since my mother passed away 4 months after Aunt Mae, that beautiful girl sits on the very same credenza in my home. And during Christmas time, she sits beside my other winter favorites...snowmen!!! They stay up until spring.

But she's always there! But I guess my most favorite things about the Holidays is the tree. I love it big & colorful. The last Christmas we had with mom, she insisted we go out and find her a new (fake) tree. She felt hers was too fat & old. And here it is.

It's covered w/ 600 colorful lights!! Up through the center is twinkling clear lights. I seen that was how the tree at Rockefeller Center was done last year. It twinkles just enough!!

Have a GREAT day!!

Not so Merry Christmas...

2008-12-29T09:16:00.002-05:00

The flu bug caught me the night before Christmas Eve and I spent the Holidays on the couch. I still plan to finish my Christmas Blog.

I do hope you all had a Happy Holiday and I hope to get back into the swing of things soon.

But now I'd like to extend my sympathies to all the friends and family of Suzanne. I always enjoyed looking at her pictures, she had quite a talent. Her photography was always outstanding. The way she could take the most ordinary objects and make them into beautiful works of art, was definitely extraordinary.

She was a beautiful woman, and from all I have seen and heard, inside as well as out. She will be missed.

Suzanne, we hope and pray that you have found the peace you have been looking for. God Bless You.

A few of my favorite things (part one)

2008-12-18T16:02:00.011-05:00

Jen of Unglazed did a post of her top Christmas ornaments with an invite for others to do the same. Well...it's not all ornaments, but a few of my favorite things, and WHY they are my favorites.

The first is my little angel. I got her when I was a very young girl from my Aunt Mae. She also sent me that year a hard back of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. It's very special to me, and it always goes on top of my little tree. As a child I always had my own little tree that sat on top of our console TV. Well, TVs aren't quite made that way anymore, and since we keep our main Christmas tree down in our family room, I put my little tree (I am on my third little tree) in the front window.

My dad & mom had some friends that divorced in my early teen years. And when they split, they gave all their Christmas decorations and Christmas tree to me. And when Tom & I first got married, we used that tree & ornaments. The ornament above is the only ornament we have left from that tree. It took a long time to get our own tree & ornaments, but I decided I should at least keep one of the ornaments, and this one was my favorite. It's hand painted and I thought was elegant.

My Aunt Mae (see a pattern here??) made this little jar for me. It's a little worn, but I still proudly display it.

This is something new I got. It's a purse. I'm usually really boring with my purses. I like roomy & practical. So this was a bold move for me..ha. But I thought it was so cute.

These are a couple of the really old ornaments I got after my mom passed away. There are quite a few more on the tree, but these are a couple of my favorites. I couldn't get the snowman to show up any better for strange reason. But you get the idea of what it looked like.

My next post will have a few more of my favorite things including my favorite Christmas gift I ever got (and you can probably guess who that came from, ha).

Have a WONDERFUL day.

Whiny Wednesday....

2008-12-17T08:02:00.002-05:00

I guess my whine today is:

That it's only 8 a.m. and I have 9 hours until a 4 day week-end!!

I have started gathering my pictures and getting ready for my Christmas post. I am hoping to get my cards out this week-end also. Been waiting for my son to get a hair cut so I can get a family picture done. I'd like to be able to put it in the cards. Seems like there is so much to do.

My brother is doing well. He has to have a stress test soon, and start his cardio-rehab. Sometime right after Christmas he will have the final stent put into the artery that is in the back of the heart. And HOPEFULLY that will be it. He is feeling fine, but says he's bored. He's not used to sitting around the house all day, every day. But he is managing. I told him I'd bring the scrabble board over to play if he wanted while I was off.

My Uncle Rusty is another story. He seems to be going down hill. I went to see him last night at the nursing home, took a little Christmas Tree and a Red & Green plaid fleece throw blanket to deck his room down the hall. He seemed to really like it. I told him to think if the blanket as getting a hug from me!! I hope he remembers today where it came from!!

Well, I must get to work. I hope you all have a WONDERFUL day.

Very Long Week....

2008-12-13T08:30:00.002-05:00

This week certainly hasn't gone the way I had planned it. I had planned to post pictures of my favorite Christmas items (Idea from Jen of Unglazed), but I got severely side tracked Tuesday when my younger brother, Randy (who is actually older than me), had a heart attack. He is doing fantastic now, and will be coming home today. On Tuesday they had to put 3 stents in the bottom artery of his heart, it was almost completely closed up, and he immediately felt 100% better. Yesterday (Friday) they put one in the front artery. And in a couple of weeks, he'll get one in the artery that goes to the back. Dr. says everything looks great so far! WHEW.

Fortunately, he realized quite quickly that something wasn't quite right, and had his wife get him to the hospital before it turned into something more severe. There is minimal damage to his heart, and he should make a full recovery, as long as he follows the rules!! I really love my brothers, and this has just completely exhausted me. I know none of us will be here forever, but I was really hoping that someday, when they were VERY old men, they'd just go peacefully in their sleep.

Hopefully tomorrow I can start my Christmas post, and hope you are all enjoying some of the Holiday tunes I picked out.

Have a GREAT day!!

Busy Busy Busy

2008-12-06T21:30:00.004-05:00

Wow, can't believe how long it's been since I've been on here. But I have managed to check out the blogs of all my friends once in a while.

I took a vacation the week of Thanksgiving, and I was so busy "spring" cleaning around here, that I just didn't have time to get on the computer. By the time I could, my daughter was home on break, she's 16, has a MySpace, need I say more??

I hosted Thanksgiving for my family this year. (We rotate) It went pretty well, my Turkey actually turned out very good!! I even braved my own gravy this year (I bought back up but never opened it!!). Everybody seemed to enjoy their selves. Even got some Euchre in!!! My younger brother Randy (Ok, he's older than me, but younger than the other brother) gets to host Christmas this year.

He's having an especially busy year this year. His twins are turning 16 next week, and they are having a party for them. Their oldest daughter, Kelly, is getting married this February. My sister-in-law, who has a full time factory type job, got a 'seasonal' job at the local outlet mall to help fund all these milestones & the holidays.

I went downtown earlier today to get a few things so my husband could make his TatorTot Casserole. I got to the intersection in front of our local IGA and seen a Fire Truck & Ambulance, and I thought the worst was happening. After all the flooding that poor place has been through, a fire was the last thing they needed.

But to my surprise the fire dept was there for a little holiday cheer. In the open space in front of the fire truck was a little training going in circles. Now it was 20 degrees outside and snowing while all this was going on. But still, it was cute. And if you notice, there is only one child that braved to cold to ride it while I was there. :o)

Also as I was driving around, I passed our city hall and noticed they were having an ice carving exhibition going on. I didn't get to stop so I could take any pictures but I saw a very cool Dolphin.

Our little town has problems, but it does try to bring the community together for different things. I don't know how the tree lighting ceremony went, but I doubt it gathered the people quite like the Sleepwalker does.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

And have a GREAT day.

With Love to Aunt Mary & Uncle Arthur...

2008-11-10T10:32:00.002-05:00

I received a call last night from my cousin in Michigan. My Aunt Mary had died over the week-end. She was a very sweet lady. I have many crafty Christmas items in my home every year that she had made. Her and my Uncle Art had been married for 58 years!! Also during this phone conversation I learned that my Uncle passed away in SEPTEMBER!! Nobody called our family to let us know. Uncle Art was my mom’s brother, the youngest of the boys at 82 yrs. Our family was close to them, and finding out a month after his death, and realizing we didn't get the chance to say good bye to him separately, was very hurtful to us. It was a double loss for us yesterday.

Back in 2001 my most favorite Uncle (Paul) passed away. Nobody called us until the night before the funeral, which was in West Virginia. There was no way we could make the arrangements with our employers for the time off. He hadn’t even been sick. It was quite the surprise.

It has seemed since our mother passed in 2000, we are no longer considered part of the family. I’m sure it’s not intentional. My mother was the youngest and she would be 80 right now, so I’m sure the sisters & brothers just don’t always remember who all should be called or notified. They are all up in their 80’s & 90’s and all have memory problems associate with their age. But we have at least 15 first cousins that have our phone numbers, and we are close to. It’s very frustrating, like when my other Aunt (Pearl) that lives about an hour from me had major surgery, nobody called us then either. They said it was too emotional of a time and didn’t want to talk about it. I wondered to myself how they would have felt if we wouldn’t have told them when our mom got sick, and they never got the chance to visit. We let them know, because we knew they loved her. Just as we love their family.

This has always been a very tight knit family. Even though they spread out into 4 different states, they all stayed very close. My Aunt Mae & Uncle Paul were so special to us; they were more like Grandparents to me. I grew up with only one grandmother living, and they more than made up for it. There were only two grandchildren that my Grand Daddy never seen. I was one of them. My grandmother died when my mom was only 6 years old. I so wish I could have met them. My oldest brother remembers Grand Daddy, but just a little.

I am sorry this has brought out a bit of a rant in me. But right now, I’m very hurt and very sad for these losses. So, thank you for giving me the opportunity to do a little whining on a Monday.

But, they were great Christian people, and I know they are together again and with their family, both blood and heavenly!! I will miss them very much...and I love them....

Have a Blessed day....

Suprise # 2

2008-10-31T15:04:00.003-04:00

Since the boss was on vacation the last two weeks, we decided to also throw him a luncheon for Boss's Day (which was a few weeks ago). He was in a GREAT mood for the rest of the day!!!

TGIF!!!!!

Happy Halloween!!!

2008-10-31T09:44:00.004-04:00

My boss always said that Charlie has Angels, but he has Devils. Well....here we are!!!

Gerry's Devils!!!!

And here's the boss after he got his suprise!!!

Have a GREAT day!!

Rah Rah Rah....

2008-10-29T09:31:00.002-04:00

This past week-end was the “Halloween Championship” for American Cheer Power in Columbus, OH. Our team, Ohio Star Power Fusion, placed 2nd for the All Star Level 3 category. I can not tell you for sure what all the “Levels” mean in Cheer competition, but I know when we went from Level 2 to Level 3, the tumbling went from back handsprings and cartwheels to all sorts of tumbling that didn’t include the hands touching the mat at any time and the stunts got a little more than just throwing the fliers into the air. It’s always fun to watch though.

So to do a follow up on conversations in the comment section of Cliff’s last “from the press box” post. I would say of all the teams I got to see at this competition (we got there at 4, it started about 9 a.m.) most of the uniforms were more modest. In the past we have seen some teams with shirts that barely covered the chest area and skirts that looked like the width of a scarf. As I mentioned in Cliff’s comment section, I would pull my daughter off a team before I’d let her wear an outfit like that. Skirts do need to be short, but not THAT short. They need to be able to move about freely, with all the tumbling, throwing & flying, comfort is a must. But they don’t need to be so skimpy that they look like they are going for tryouts at the Coyote bar!! And unfortunately, when ever I do see teams with the mid-drift tops, there are usually very young girls, and some of which can be somewhat pudgy. I can’t believe this is good for their self-esteems when others poke fun of them (these are kids, and some can be mean). Coaches need to be mindful of these young minds and developing bodies, that it’s just not appropriate. I can’t see a reason for it, nor can our coach.

The coach for the Ohio Star Power teams has always picked out uniforms that I feel are appropriate. The only flash they have is the make-up, which they didn’t have to wear for picture day!!

Have a GREAT day!!!

It's Snowing!!!

2008-10-28T09:13:00.002-04:00

As much as I love the fall (although my favorite tree turned brown this year instead of flame colors), I love the first snow even more. I know it won't stick to the ground and make it a gleaming blanket of white, it's still pretty. Such huge flakes!!! And some are sticking to my car!!

Sorry for the poor picture quality, my camera on my phone doesn't work well out my office window.

Hope you are having a GREAT day!!

I love you dad....

2008-10-21T09:27:00.004-04:00

23 years ago today I lost my dad. I think I have posted about him before. He was a very tall, lean, tanned and very handsome man. I hope one day to scan some pictures of him and my mom and get them on here.

I mentioned before about believing in spirits living among us. I told you mom my used to hang out at the Kaufmanns store at the mall before it closed, and now she sits on the end of my bed. So I guess would be a good time to talk about ‘seeing’ my dad. (Oh, and before I forget, my husband said he was lying in bed one morning after 3rd shift, just got into bed and was petting the dog, when the covers were pulled off him!! Guess mom thought he was warm enough!!! This was his first personal experience.)

Now to me: Shortly after dad died, we had heard about kids partying at the cemetery and trashing the sites. We still had most the funeral flowers on his grave so we drove through it nightly to make sure things were OK. While I was driving through the one night, I saw my dad standing in the middle of the road. Just standing there with his blue coat, tan corduroys, blue baseball cap and his hands in his pockets. He was facing his grave site. Well, I had to swerve off the road to avoid ‘hitting’ him. Almost took out some of those old standing head stones. I came to a stop and looked up to see that he was gone. My husband (my boyfriend at the time) was driving behind me and jumped out to see what was wrong with me.

I never saw dad again until last year. As I was turning left onto a county road, I looked both ways and saw nothing coming. Right after I pulled out I saw a blue truck flying up the road. I got turned and straightened out as fast as I could, but when I looked back behind me, there was nothing there. After I calmed down I got to thinking about that blue truck. It had to of been my dad. Now for some history....

When I was small & with my cousin at my Grandma’s house, we were talking about our Grandpa that had died the year before, we were pretty young. But as we were talking, a Cross illuminated on the wall. The strange thing was, she had blinds on her windows and no matter how we played with them, the shadows never showed up that way again. She had had experiences with a small boy in her house. Years later when she decided to ask her mom about the miscarriage she had years before, she found out that the baby was a boy. So she knows she had been seeing her brother. So I think this is a hereditary trait. In 1984 she and I made a trip to California; we had buried a friend a few days before we went. And as we were driving through the mountains we talked about him. Then the radio went off for a few minutes. Only thing was, we were listening to an 8-track (remember those???). We listened to that thing over and over, and it never did that again. Just to note, it was the Beach Boys we were listening too. We figured we were in California, what else should we listen to?? But my whole life, while lying in bed at night thinking about a friend or relative that has passed, my radio station will go out for a few minutes. I guess this is their way of letting me know they're there.

I see shadows all around, I’ve seen ‘somebody’ walking through leaves on a still night, somebody messes with my towels on the shower door while I’m in the shower, and when I talk to my friend Judi while I’m in my car, she will turn off my radio to listen to me. So I believe we have contact with loved ones that have passed. We just have to be open to it. Now if I could just have a conversation them…………………

And by the way.....Halloween does slightly scare me now!! HA.

Have a GREAT day.

Music.....

2008-10-13T16:49:00.002-04:00

I love music. I always have a song in my head. Heck, I grew up wishing I were a member of the VonTrapp family. What fun it would be to just break out in song throughout your day. Monday nights at bowling I’m usually thinking about the song “Let’s Bowl” from Grease 2. Ok, the movie stunk, but I loved the soundtrack. And yes, I know the words to every song in Grease, Grease 2, The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, and even Oklahoma. There's more, but I only have so much room.

Through the years we had many “country” singers crossing over into the pop genre. Artists like Kenny, Dolly, Olivia, Garth, Shania and more recently Carrie Underwood & Taylor Swift. Today it seems that the tide has changed and many “pop” artists are going country. Most notably are Darius Rucker (from Hootie & the Blow Fish fame), Jessica Simpson, Cheryl Crow, Jon Bon Jovi, The Eagles & the most shocking….Kid Rock (OK, obviously you know I like his song).

I find this to be an interesting trend. When interviewed Kid Rock stated that he plans to retire as a country singer because there was no way to age gracefully in Rock and Roll. I think Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones is a perfect example of that statement. Although I think some of the damage has already been done. But he says he wants to get back to the music, that is what is was all about to begin with, and he started not liking who he was turning into.

In the interview with Darius Rucker he states that they were a country band when they were discovered. That was his intention all along, but he got over ruled when it came time to start recording. And they were such big hits on the Pop charts that the band never did country again. I like his song very much, and I’m sure Charlie Pride is happy that another black man has finally had a top 20 song on the radio. It’s been, I believe they said, over 25 years. No, Cowboy Troy didn’t hit that high up on the charts. Maybe his video, but not his song. So Kudos to Dariuis!!! Can't wait to hear his next single.

Now Jessica Simpson said she never really felt “cool” in the pop world. Like she didn’t fit in. I like her song also, but the jury is still out in my mind about her in general. I guess the “chicken of the sea” thing really kind of warped my perception of her. And I absolutely love Carrie Underwood. So the little bit of bashing Jess did against Carrie didn’t help her defense any. So what if her boyfriend called her, maybe he needed somebody intelligent to talk to!! Hey, It’s only MY opinion!!!

And while I am having an opinion, I do like some Hip Hop & Pop artists (will NEVER get into Rap) like Avril, Rhianna, Flo Rida, and Pink to name a few. And I also like Nickelback, but I think they are more Rock than Pop. But what I don’t understand is why they write these really cool songs, but then have to throw in the cuss words. They don’t need them!! Even for rhyming reasons. I never realized how many songs of yesteryear had so many bad words in them until I got XM Radio and heard the album version of the Who’s “Who are You” for the first time. Yikes!! I was shocked. I had no idea. I guess it was a good thing I didn’t like them enough to buy the album for just the one song (which I did like). Mom would’ve whooped on me!! LOL

But for me, nothing beats a good tune with a good beat. That’s what it’s all about. So if you come to my house and I’m cleaning, you better knock really loud, because chances are I have my MP3 player blaring in my ears. For some reason the kids don’t like hearing the Osmond Brothers singing Down by the Lazy River. What is wrong with these kids today!! That song rocks!!! LOL.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

Wednesday Whining....

2008-10-08T08:37:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I feel like I do tend to whine quite a bit, but whenever it comes to Wednesday, I don't have a thing to whine about!

BUT.... I am not happy with this whole "bail out" thing that is going on. I am certainly not thrilled to find out that the execs @ AIG got to take a $440,000 Spa vacation. I am not one to sit around and talk politics. I said very early on in this blog that I wouldn't do that. But sometimes things can get me fired up. A man on TV yesterday said that if they took those billions of dollars and split it up among the Tax Paying American Citizens that we could have each gotten $300,000. Now talk about stimulating the economy! The foreclosure rate would drop instantly, I know I could pay off my house & debts with that. We feel that the middle class has now become the working poor. We didn't used to have the worries we have today. We make more money than we did five years ago, and have a harder time keeping up. Pay check to pay check. That's our life now. With one kid in college, another wanting to go in two years. Tyler drives 50 miles each way, and his part time job just got a little more part time w/ school. So we are helping him with gas (Thank Goodness it is 'down' to $3.09 this week). Rachel has a very hectic school & Cheer schedule, we don't want her to get a job or she won't have time for homework. So we pay for her gas (or did before the car got totaled) and little bit of social life. She has joined about every club she could at school, she knows it will look good on her college application. She's got the grades & such, so we have high hopes for scholarships for her. But with things the way they are now, we know we won't be able to help pay for it. And it stinks..

Well before I go off the deep end on this...I hope you all have a WONDERFUL day.....

Next post should be cheerier, I want to talk about music!!!

Home Sweet Home..

2008-10-05T12:27:00.007-04:00

I am glad to be home now. Although I had a great time in Florida. The weather was beautiful the whole time I was there. The only time it rained was during the night. One of my favorite moments was Saturday morning waking up and watching the sun rise. After the night before, I was glad to see that the sun always rises again!!

This picture was taken off the balcony of our room. (the picture to the left was also taken off a balcony at this hotel) Had to get up a little earlier than I would have liked to on a Saturday, but I'm glad I didn't miss it. Went for a long walk up and down the beach just a little while after I took this. Was just a beautiful morning. Got to watch Surfers catching some waves. I also got bit by what we are guessing was a Crab. I never seen it, but I sure as heck felt it!!

Of course since coming home I have been busy. Cleaning up the basement & the clothes that got soaked when our drain backed up. Only lost a couple of pieces of clothing. Considering all the gook that comes up from the drain, I feel lucky that we didn't lose a little more than that. The clothes were in a tote for 4 days until the washer & dryer could be used again. I also have been putting in extra hours at work this week, hoping that will slow down this week. So much to do, so little time. That's just the way life seems to go.

As beautiful as it was, nothing beats the fall here. The leaves are starting to change, jackets are out of the closet and I've managed to find all my socks!! I really try to never wear them during the summer, unless I HAVE to wear my tennis shoes. I'm really a 4 season kind of girl. There is a tree on my way to and from work, that when the leaves have fully turned, it looks like it is on fire!! I am hoping to catch a picture of it during it's peak this year. And hopefully, it will look just like it has in the past years. We shall see....

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL week!!!

Whiny Wednesday...

2008-10-01T12:30:00.002-04:00

I guess my biggest whine is that it's not even 60 degrees out today. And after 4 days of 90 degree weather, it feels quite cold!!!

It was a good trip to Daytona this year. Weather was perfect, sand was feeling really great between my toes!! All we did for three days was lounge in the sun & talk. Was very relaxing. Of course, Friday night was a little on the upsetting side for me. I found out my daughter had been in a car accident while I was appreciating the ocean breeze going through my hair. Fortunately she was not hurt, and the accident wasn't her fault. But the car is totaled. And I have a lot of 'Mom' guilt because I wasn't there for her. But we talked on the phone, and she was doing good, and told me to just relax and have a good time (was easier said than done that night!!).

The picture to left of my screen is from the balcony of the hotel we stayed at again this year. It has an amazing view. I got some really great pictures of the sunrise Saturday morning, and will share one of them really soon.

When I got back to work and seen the pile of work on my desk, I know the vacation was over!!

Have a GREAT day.

Oh Happy Monday...

2008-09-22T10:28:00.004-04:00

I'm almost happy to be at work today. Yesterday I got everything washed & ready to go for my trip to Daytona this Thursday. So it was a busy day. I like to do a little extra cleaning. You know, for the just in case something happens, I don't want his mother coming in and helping him get things in order and finding hidden crud in my house. So I cleaned the hardwood floors did a little extra mopping & dusting. Now I just need to get all the clothes put away. It's the time of year I hate laundry wise. Some days are chilly and some are warm. So it's a mix of clothes. Some of the fall/winter things start coming out, but you still can't quite put all the summer stuff away. This morning was 56 degrees, and it's supposed to get to 78 this afternoon. So I wore a jacket w/ my sandals. Quite a combo. LOL. But I still can't wear all my shoes. My toe is still a little swollen, but it feels a lot better. With the weather change I noticed it got a little crampy.

I did manage to go to the band show up in Lakewood on Saturday night. Kent State did the pre-show and National Anthem. They were pretty cool. I was glad I got to see them perform. I didn't stay for the whole show. But did go over and say hi to all the kids. I miss being a band mom. They did a respectable job. Almost half the band is 8th graders, so they are a little unsure of themselves, and don't play with a lot confidence. But as usual, Mr. Sims put together an entertaining show. No other band marches quite like ours. And of course, no other band has a Cliff announcing for them. One of the best parts of the show is when the band takes the field. I don't think any other announcer could pull that off as well as Cliff does. And just a little 'cliff note' of my own...I'm not going to rant about the lack of seat covers that evening!!

September always brings a lot of busy time with it!! My sister-in-law, niece, cousin & best friend all have birthdays within the first couple weeks. And now my daughter's competition cheerleading practices are kicking into high gear. Competitions start next month. The name of her team is Ohio Star Power, she is on the senior "Fusion" team. They do have a web site you can check out and see what they have done in the past, there are also pictures of the girls. There are 3 teams. There are the little girls, Juniors & Seniors. They all work very hard, and they are very fun to watch. Last year we got to be on Fox Sports for Ameri Cheer nationals. (they only show 1st place teams!!!)

Well, hopefully I will get one more post out before I head to the beach. Might have a hard time whining on Wednesday though, will be a little psyched for my trip!! But I will try to manage. I haven't whined in two weeks!!

Hope you all have a FABULOUS day!!!

Sorry I've been busy...

2008-09-18T09:43:00.004-04:00

My best friend has been up this past week. She lives in Phoenix and the company where she works has their corporate office right here in Ohio, about 10 minutes from house. So I have had a few visits with her. Had a contracter over one evening, going to update the bathtub upstairs and turn it into a shower!! I'm excited about that. Our downstairs shower is in need of serious repair. But we needed another shower put in so we wouldn't be without during the teardown. The one downstairs has cracks in the grout and is leaking into the wall. You can see the mold starting to come through the paint!! Never a good situation, especially when mold is one of my worst allergies. Plus it's not healthy for anybody!!

So hopefully I will be back on this week-end, with pictures of my best girl friend, Bobbi Jo and maybe a story or two about her. There are some stories I won't tell though, ha. When ever I did my craziest stuff, I think I was with her!! To spite it all, I think we grew up into pretty good adults!!

Have a GREAT day.

P.S. I have tried to keep up on all your blogs, and for the record, we thought the owl vomit was an owl's nest, so we were close!!

Matthew: I love the Rittman Band too, miss my son being a part of it. And I have checked out your site!!

God Bless America...

2008-09-11T08:23:00.003-04:00

For all those we lost that day, I shall never forget you.

For all those we have lost since, I shall forever be thankful to you.

For all the soldiers still over there fighting for our freedom...Thank You & Bless You!!

I still think about the attacks on 9/11 almost everyday. And pray for our soldiers every night.

Wayne County Fair...

2008-09-09T19:54:00.011-04:00

I left work early today and met my husband at the Wayne County Fair. Our fair is known to have the best agricultural showing in the state. Which means it probably smells a little more than the other fairs (lol).

For entertainment this year they got Lorrie Morgan, the Oak Ridge Boys & others. But the main attraction this year was the Budweiser Clydesdale Horses & Wagon. I must say that these were magnificent creatures, and I'm not a big horse lover. I forgot to take my camera with me, so this is what I got with my phone. It was the 156th annual county fair, and for the last 20, they have been trying to get these horses to visit!!

They put on a little show where they explained what each row of horses does. They did turns, figure eights, and even went from one side of the coach to the other, without the coach moving. They were simply amazing. Along for the ride during the show was "Bud" the Dalmatian, unfortunately I could only get a picture of his tail end, ha. He was trying to get into one of the food vendor trailers. Dogs will be dogs!!

Have a Great day...

Good Trend...

2008-09-03T12:20:00.003-04:00

Now this is a trend I'd like to see keep going. Over 20 cents down from yesterday. Glad I waited a day to fill up!!!

Wednesday Whining..

2008-09-03T09:07:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been two years since my last eye appointment, so I had to go this morning. I could whine that I can't hardly see because of the dilated pupils, but that's not what is ailing me today.

I just found out I need bi-focals. Another reason why it just sucks getting older. LOL. I knew this was coming, I just kept hoping that the Dr. wouldn't verify that for me. But the good news is, that he also said that in a couple of years I should be able to get the laser surgery. About 5 years ago I had a cornea disease which kept me from pursuing that procedure. I've worn glasses or contacts since I was in 2nd grade. I'm ready to be done with them. I'd be OK having to put on glasses just to read. I actually think those are kind of cool looking, and I can buy them cheaply at the drug store.

Hope you all have a GREAT day.

Thanks Wixy..

2008-09-02T08:13:00.002-04:00

Yep, I'm 44 today!! And my son turned 19 on Sunday. I'm not sure which makes me feel older!! I know the latter is what made me a faithful follower of Miss Clairol - ha. He had a good day, did exactly what he wanted to do. He golfed 18 holes in the morning and got Tumbleweed for dinner. We did the carry out so we could sit together at home and eat peacfully, then had some cake. Was an enjoyable day.

Hope you are having a GREAT day.

Need to whine some more...

2008-08-27T14:05:00.001-04:00

It's August and I'm COLD!! (can't wear regular shoes yet, so my toes are freezing!!)

WHY!!

Not having such a great day here, HOPE YOU ALL ARE!!! ;o)

Whiny Wednesday...

2008-08-27T07:55:00.002-04:00

My whole adult life I resigned myself to that fact that I'm turning into my mother. I am a worry-wart just like her, I stress over any weight gain I have, etc. She was a wonderful woman that made me crazy my whole life (ha), a good mom, and a terrific grand mother. They only thing I didn't get from her was her obsession with being a neat freak. We do actually live in my house!!!

So as I grow older I see more of those things that remind me of her in myself. But when I rub my hand across my chin and suddenly get pricked by something....

....I get a little panicky, while diving for my tweezers, that maybe I'm actually turning into my dad!!!

Getting older just sucks!!!!!!

Have a GREAT day..

Monday Night Bowling

2008-08-25T22:47:00.007-04:00

Well, I made it through one game and my toe started feeling it! So I had to quit. But I got a 168 that first game, so I was happy about that. Let me introduce you to my team.....

From left to right....Myself, MaryAnn, Martha & Jeanne. We have a fifth bowler, Cheryl, but she plays soccer until the end of October, so she isn't pictured here with us.

The past two week-ends we've had bonfires at the neighbors house, and the first week-end was the full moon. It was awesome.

There were dark clouds all around it, and it would peek through. I don't have the best camera in the world, but I thought that some of my pics turned out pretty good. I have been practicing with my camera, trying to learn how to use it. But I'm hoping Santa will bring me a more sophisticated camera for Christmas. I'd like to take some photography classes at some point. Just for fun.

Here are my some of my neighbors enjoying the beautiful evening and fire.

Hope you are having a FABULOUS day!!

My family...

2008-08-24T21:40:00.004-04:00

Unfortunately the week-end was a bust!! My allergies (ragweed) seemed to override everything else. Although my toe is doing much better now. It looks much better too. Not sure I'll be able to start bowling tomorrow night though.

Bowling and Euchre are traditions in my family. Although neither of my brothers bowl anymore due to some physical issues they now have, but they both still play Euchre. My dad was an avid (and very good) bowler. He used to make me nervous when he'd come to watch me. The men in the family took the game very seriously, while I have a tendency to have more fun while I bowl. I carry a 155 average most of the year, which isn't too bad, but I still prefer to have fun w/ my girls than try for a 300 game.

Although I'm not very good, it means a lot to me to keep going. I lost my father in 1985, he was only 55 years old. He had worked in a factory that had asbestos everywhere. Though they made him wear a mask, the fibers were small enough to absorb through the skin, and he got cancer. Thankfully he went quickly and didn't suffer for years. So bowling, for me, is a way to keep close to my dad. At least in my heart.

My dad worked 2 jobs the whole time I knew him. He worked at B&W third shift, and would come home, eat breakfast and then go to his self-employed painting & roofing. Of course he bowled every Wednesday night. He worked this way up until he got sick. That was the only time I knew him to slow down. He was tall, lean & always tan. And I might be biased, but I also think he was very handsome. Of course he died before the digital age and I don't have a picture of him on my computer. I do plan to remedy that situation in the near future. My boss has a scanner, and I'm sure he'd scan some picture for me. And then I will post them.

The hardest part having lost my father so young, was that he never got to see my children, nor did they get to meet him. Out of 6 grand kids, he only got to see one. Jeni was born 10 years before the next grandchild. She was 7 when he passed.

Then came the other 5 rather quickly. Kelly was born in 88, Tyler (mine) in 89, Rachel (also mine) in 92 and the twins in 93. The first great-grand child came in 97. The only great-grandchild my mother would get to see. In 99, my mother had been in a car wreck and broke her collar bone. This led to an explosion of cancer within her. She too went very quickly, having died 3 months after finding out she had it. Jeni was pregnant with her 2nd (out of 3) when mom passed.

I think not having my mother around has been the hardest thing I've ever had to endure. I don't think a day goes by I don't think about her. To feel close to her I would go to Kauffman's at Roller Acres mall. I could smell her there. I know those department stores all have smells, but before her death it never smelled like her. Walking in that store, I could smell her house. Almost every cashier knew my mother by name (almost embarrassing at times when I'd go with her shopping), it was her favorite place to go. So it didn't surprise me that her spirit would be there!! Rolling Acres has since gone under, and the store there closed. So I think she now lives with me. :o) And I'm fine with that. She can hang out here forever is she wants!! She was a good Christian woman and I'm sure she's up there singing with the rest of the angels, but sometimes, I think she's here! And she's kept her sense of humor!!

I do believe in spirits being among us. And I believe both my parents have been around. Another day I will share with you all in why I believe that. And what I have seen with my own eyes.

Have a GREAT day!!!!

TGIF*

2008-08-22T12:55:00.001-04:00

Am I alone here, or is anybody else happy it's FRIDAY!!!!

Been a looooong week!!!

Have a GREAT week-end.

Whiny Wednesday...

2008-08-19T21:15:00.003-04:00

I'd really like to whine about how my toe got infected and hurts like ****. But I won't do that. This week I'm going to be serious, because this week-end we had trouble around here.

So I'd like to complain about the kids in the neighborhood that think it's funny to let off a whole brick of firecrackers late at night. Waking up all the small kids and scaring all the animals in the neighborhood. (My puppy hid behind the toilet!!)

The kids that think it's funny to run down the yards taking out all the garden lights.

The kids that think it's funny to pour Karo syrup over cars that have to sit out all night. And smear the windows w/ Crisco shortning. Or putting Limberger Cheese through the car windows on a hot day.

The kids that think smoke bombs on porches are funny. They don't seem to care that my neighbor had to replace siding that the bombs ruined.

Or that it's fun to kick in screen doors.

And the list goes on.

But the the thing I'd like to complain about the most is the fact that our local police department has said to me on several occasions that they don't patrol our neighborhoods because we don't have any trouble up here. I was told that TWICE. The third incident that brought them to our neighborhood I had to tell the office NOT to say that to me a third time (he's an old friend). I was slightly upset, and it wasn't even my house that got the destruction that time. They've been to our neighborhood at least 4 times this summer. And they don't think we have a problem?? This kind of crap has been happening all summer.

Or maybe I should complain about the parents that don't realize their kids are out late at night doing these things. Or when it is brought to their attention, they write it off as adolescent mischief. What??? I make it my business to know where my kids are. I've even 'checked up' on them upon occasion to make sure they are where they are supposed to be. I've only been disappointed once, and I'm pretty sure that won't happen again!!! But I'd just like to kick some of these parents in the pants and tell them to WAKE UP!!!

I know these things are petty and annoying, more so than tragic (like in big cities). We moved to this neighborhood to get away from troublesome kids!! What we got instead were bored kids with nothing better to do!!

Whew, glad I got that off my chest!!!

Have a Great day & thanks for stopping by!!

22 Years Ago

2008-08-15T22:58:00.006-04:00

Saturday August 16th, 1986 I was married. Unfortunately it's a little sad this year because my Mr. is working 12 hrs per day for 19 straight days. 6 pm to 6 am. He's on night 7 now. So I will be spending most of the day alone. Although he did say he was going to get up a early and take me to lunch!! But he's so tired, I'd like him to sleep & I'll make his favorite dinner. So we'll see how it goes. (the above picture was our engagment picture. My new profile pic is very recent)

Then it's off school shopping with my daughter on Sunday. She has to wear a uniform this year (black scrubs for her cosmotology class) so we don't have to buy too much!!! And it will all be the same!!! Boy will this one be easy!!! No arguments this year!! ha. We actually have a good time shopping together. Here's a pic of dad & daughter together. Haven't we all changed!!!

Have a FABULOUS week-end.

Talk to you soon!!!

Whiny Wednesday....

2008-08-12T22:21:00.002-04:00

I'm in a pretty good mood tonight, so I'm having a hard time to find things to whine about.

But after reading a post by Daisy today, and thinking back to a post Wixy wrote a while back, I thought I'd whine about a particular unpleasant experience I had will a college rep today.

I used to be a cashier & waitress. And felt it was my job to be as friendly to people as I could so they would come back and spend more money. (And as a waitress, the tips depend on it). But recently I called the college where my son is trying to get into to talk to the girl in financial aid. I wanted a little guidance in their website, because his recruiter said they were really helpful, and the only thing she would say to me was that the website went step by step. I should go read it. Well it does (& I had), but the steps within those steps are very confusing, and I wanted a little clarification. But instead I was made to feel as if I was interrupting her day by asking her to help us with their financial aid application (wouldn't that be her job??) I plan to go on again tomorrow to try to figure all this out (I'm taking half day off for vacation for this). If I have more questions and meet with the same resistance, I do plan to write to the head of the school regarding her attitude & lack of help.

I know not all jobs are gratifying, and it's not always easy to be pleasant when you've had a bad day, or things in your life aren't going well. But I think people should take pride in what they do, and not ever let the customer know that they are having a bad day, or that they hate what they are doing. I know if our customers aren't happy, they will look else where for help. That would cost my company money & ultimately will cost me my job. I have a mortgage to help pay and shoes & clothes to buy!!! Now if somebody is working in a barn shoveling horse/cow doo-doo, I wouldn't expect them to put on a happy face. Maybe nose plugs, but not a smile. ;o)

Have a GREAT Whiny Wednesday (if you are at work....fake it if need be!!!)

My New Car

2008-08-11T20:29:00.005-04:00

For those interested, I'm getting around really good w/ my toe. Can't wait until Friday when I can get rid of the funky shoe & put just a band aid over my stitches.

I've been driving a torrent for two the past two years. LOVED that little SUV. Unfortunately, the gas mileage sucked! Here is a picture of it, my son and his date took it to the 07 Prom. Oh and it was a lease too, and I had 12 more months in which I could only drive 3000 miles, that just wasn't going to work!!!

So it was really a hard decision to trade it away, but I was getting maybe 200 miles out of ONE tank of gas, and today that is just not good enough. So I decided to go with something more economical. So here is my new car..

Ok, it's the cheapest car Pontiac makes, but it is fully loaded!! And I absolutely love it!! It has 6 surround Pioneer speakers and a built in Sub-woofer in the trunk. Goes good w/ my satellite radio, which I CAN'T live without. I get 100+ extra miles out of a tank that is 3 gallons smaller!!

Most of my friends felt it looked really familiar. Well, the truth be told, I had a Sunfire back before the Torrent, and I really liked it too. So many may asked 'why didn't she just keep it?'. Honestly, I planned to drive it until the tires fell off (wasn't as loaded but still had my XM!!).

But one day my son asked to borrow it, we argued because I wanted him to drive my Caravan, felt it was safer and I am a worry-wart mom. But he won out because I was tired. SO about a half hour later, this was my Sunfire...

I thank GOD everyday that nobody was seriously hurt. A fractured arm (Justin), a broken leg (Trevor, he now has a titanium rod), and a bruised Collar bone (my boy). The ER nurses said they were the most polite boys they'd ever had in the ER. There was no swearing or yelling out of the three of them. I used to never be able to sleep until he was home at night, now I don't think I breath until I hear the garage door open (my daughter drives now also, so my evenings are filled with anxiety). I'd like to think the worrying will stop one day, but remembering my mother & how she was, I'm guessing not. Just hope Lady Clairol never stops being able to cover the gray!!

I always make sure to hug my kids everytime I get the chance & tell them I love them. Never miss an opportunity to do so.

Have a GREAT day!!!

Thank You..

2008-08-08T15:32:00.003-04:00

all for stopping by. & thanks to Cliff for the shout out. I am doing find since my little minor surgery. In some pain, Not as much as the Dr. warned me (more like tried to scare me), but more than I figured. But I am still getting around pretty good. (OK..my daughter has been home & I have been slaving her around...a bit!!) I apparently had a bone spur & a 'crystallized' calcium mass in my baby toe. So the Dr. dug it all out & filed the spur down & should be back to wearing shoes w/ toes in 2 weeks.
Goodness knows I wouldn't have wanted to wear flip flops all winter long!!! But my boss has been understanding and letting me wear them the past few weeks, and the next few. As I mentioned, I work with a great bunch of people!! Some of who will be in Barberton at the races w/ me tomorrow. I am borrowing a set of crutches just to help me along a little. There's a chance of a storm later in the evening, so I might need a quick get away!! And right now I'm just a bit slow. I opted not to let the Dr. give me a prescription for stronger meds, but did let the hubby fix me some fresh lemon-Ade (w/ a little Smirnoff Pink Lemon-Ade in it!! :o) yum ).

Have a GREAT day!!!

Wednesday Whining...

2008-08-06T07:10:00.003-04:00

Nothing is worse than grabbing the jug of milk out of the fridge and discovering it has about enough to fill a shot glass in it. I don't get why they just don't finish it up when it's that low. I guess it goes along w/ putting the em ply cereal box, pop tart box back into the cupboard. Nothing more disappointing than finding out you actually have nothing to eat for breakfast. My kids will complain about this fact, but when I see all those boxes in the cupboard I ASSUME that there's something in them. Is this my fault?? If the kids were 5 & 6 instead of 16, 18 & 42 (yep he's bad at it too) I would be checking these things more closely. But it is a rule to throw away the empties and let me know if we need something. I have the same problem in the bathroom. I will find a brand new opened box of cotton swabs sitting on top of the empty. Am I unreasonable expecting things to get thrown away?? The soap will be empty and they will put water in it instead of finding the refill bottle and refilling the dispenser. I can deal with the toothpaste being squeezed in the center of the tube, I can fix that. But the empties drive me crazy!!

By the Way.. I do have a recycle bag sitting right next to the cupboard where the pop tarts are.
Have a Happy Whiny Wednesday.

Blast from the Past..

2008-08-05T12:47:00.002-04:00

In honor of my 22nd wedding anniversary coming up. My profile picture is of my husband and I back in late 1985.

Have a great day!!!

Good Weekend..REVISED

2008-08-04T10:39:00.004-04:00

I had a pretty good week-end this time around. Got to go to Barberton Speedway Saturday night and watch my friend Randy race. He was car #88. The Black car by the wall (in the middle)

He did really good, when he was passing the guy in 1st place, it was very exciting!!! Then his car broke!! That was disappointing, but we knew he would have won that race had his wheel not gone horizontal on the third turn!! I enjoy watching these people race, but get a little scared when they wreck. The one wreck looked pretty bad, the gentleman in the car was knocked out briefly, but the real 'excitement' (for lack of a better word) came when his relative was running down the steps to get closer. She apparently lost her footing, fell & broke her wrist. The driver came around and got out of the car under his own power, so the ambulance came across the track to the stands. This picture is of the TWO ambulances that helped her out. (There was only one for the racer that crashed).

I had never been to races before I met Randy (he came to work with us about a year ago). Didn't know it could be so much fun. I'd seen races on TV, but they don't do a lot for me. I guess I enjoy this because I know one of the racers. He is racing again this Saturday and they will be having a fireworks show. They also have the best french fries. So if you are looking for something to do, for $12 you can watch a bunch of crazy people drive in circles!! I know I will be there having fun!!

Yesterday, my father-in-Law took me flying. He took me all around the county and a little north to where I could see the Cleveland sky line in the distance. I got to see my brothers' houses, where I worked and around our little town. Was fun. He called me at work the other day and told me to go outside & look up. He was flying above our building, so there I was standing in the middle of the parking lot, on my cell phone, looking up & waving. I think people in the other businesses thought I was nuts. But I had fun. My FiL is one of the finest people there is. I lost my dad in '85, and this man made sure my kids didn't miss a grandfather figure in their lives. He was definately a 'hands on' Papaw. I think he got them into more trouble than they got theirselves into!!! Here is a picture of my controls!! Talk about being dangerous.

Have a GREAT day.

Whiney Wednesday

2008-07-30T21:42:00.005-04:00

Well, it took some doing, but I finally figured out how to get my playlist on my page. Had a lot of fun getting the songs. I found a couple Michael Stanley songs, none are my favorites though. But it's a sampling of all the types of music I like (Note the Dean Martin).

Given a suggestion by Cliff today, I've decided to have Whiny Wednesdays. I liked doing the post on my Pet Peeve yesterday, so I'm going to try to make it a regular weekly post. Not sure if Cliff thought I'd complain too much if I didn't put a one day a week limit on it (ha...just kidding Mr. Wixy). Cliff has been a BIG help on me getting this started. Hope I don't disappoint.

I also figured out how to insert a picture. I could be dangerous soon (ha). This is my son and daughter this past April getting ready to go to prom. They grew up so fast, I'm just amazed. Ok, they're teens, I'm also exasperated a lot of the time!!

But more about THAT on a Whiny Wednesday!!
Have a Wonderful Day!!!

Why is it....

2008-07-29T12:40:00.001-04:00

that every time I find a product I really like, they quit making it?? Started out a few years back with Tunnel of Fudge cake mix for my bundt pan, and now I can't seem to find the Dawn Direct Foam any more. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, but I haven't found it in the stores I shop in. Maybe I need to broaden my horizons a bit. A few months back I was unable to find the Pledge Dusters I like so well, but finally our local drug store started carrying them again. And I still can't find Breyers Cream Savers yogurt drinks anymore!!! UGH

Is it me, or is it frustrating when your favorite products become the makers latest casualty?? Sometimes I think the more they try to improve things, the more they screw them up. (remember New Coke??Yuk!!)

Well, that's my pet peeve for the day!!! Have a good one!!!! :o)

2008-07-28T12:37:00.000-04:00

What a nice LONG week-end I had. The Sleep Walker parade was a nice parade this year, although I noticed there were no little league baseball teams this year. I always liked seeing all the young ones. The band, I noticed, was a little bigger than last year. They didn't sound too bad for only 3 days of practice!!! My daughter was in the parade again this year. She is a Varsity cheerleader for our high school.

My cousin got in from Florida and got to spend a lot of time with her dad. He seems to be doing alright so far. Hospice & the nurses say he could have a few weeks left yet. So she went home Sunday as planned, but will be back should he decline further. I got to see him Thursday evening after the parade, and he wanted me to take him outside for his pipe. I thought that was a good sign. I always enjoy visiting him, and he seems to enjoy me coming. During the last months of bowling last season, I would pick him up and take him with me. His league bowled the same night, so he got to visit with his buddies. Always enjoyed that.

Also held a Euchre tournament at my home in honor of her visit. That was a very enjoyable evening. I love playing cards. The last couple I had hosted, I didn't have quite enough for thee table progressive, so I always ended up not getting to play. This time I had just enough for three tables, and I never had to sit out once. THAT was a good thing. But I did lose big time, ha. My oldest brother ended up winning it all. "All" really being nothing but winning, as it we didn't ante up for the night.

As I mentioned in my first blog, I have a 16 year old daughter, so getting time on the computer is somewhat tricky!!! I am hoping to start learning how to incorporate pictures into my blog and links to other areas. I went to Up Town Deli in Wadsworth the other night to listen to Steve Miracle sing a couple hours. Had a very good time there. His sister went to school with my cousin & I and she was in from Montana last week. So we got to see her too. She didn't know we were coming, so it was a big surprise for her.

Well, Have a wonderful day & talk to you soon.

I'm So Sad....

2008-07-23T11:41:00.000-04:00

The Marching Band is parading around the neighborhood & my son isn't a part of it. And now, neither am I. I knew I was going to miss being a part of the band & the boosters. But I didn't realize how much until just now as I walked up the street to hear them play & watch them march.

I guess I will have to come up with a new hobby. I guess blogging will be it!!! I am on vacation the next few days and will be busy with my cousin who is flying in today. We will be going to pick her up soon. Her dad is stilling hanging in there, I believe they will be able to have an enjoyable visit. I seen him the other night, he is getting very weak, but he's still pretty sharp! So the nursing home will be our first stop. Thanks to all who prayed for them. This is going to be a very hard time for her.

I hope you all have a great week-end.

My Uncle Rusty,

2008-07-21T12:54:00.000-04:00

My uncle who has been hospitalized most of the year with Alzheimers, has also had cancer taking over his body. Word today is that he may not make it much longer.

His daughter (my cousin & very close friend) won't be able to get here from Florida until Wednesday. Her hope is to get here in time for him to see her & her to get to talk to him.

Please say a prayer for them both.

About Me....

2008-07-20T13:02:00.000-04:00

I guess I will start with a little bit about me. I'm in my mid 40's, married for 21 years, with 2 kids. My son is almost 19 and my daughter is 16. Like most parents, the kids have been my life the past 19 years. I'm sure I will write a lot about them. My son just graduated and was a member of the Rittman High School band that Cliff (Mr. Wixy) has talked so much about. But he graduated this past May so now I find myself with quite a bit extra time, as I am no longer a part of the band boosters (or WGBB per Cliff). My daughter is a cheerleader. Not just for our high school, but also is a member of a competition team that has done quite well in the past. As a matter of fact, they won a national championship this past winter in Columbus.

I work for a rather large company (26K people worldwide), but our division is an engineering group with about 18 employees (+ two temps). There were 8 employees before they hired me, so our group is growing. We design, build & support cryogenic freezers. I myself didn't realize there was such a thing. But I guess I never thought about what happens to foods before they hit the grocery store. Now I find I have too look at the back of every frozen product to see if they were frozen in one of our pieces of equipment. The people I work with are, in my opinion, some of the best people there are. I have been there 9 years, and actually look forward to seeing them everyday (Ok, not everyday, I do have my bad days too).

I do have interests outside my family life & work. Music being a biggie!! Politics is something I won't be discussing. Voting is something I do regularly, but it's not always easy to decide who/what is the lesser evil. The years before I started working full time, being a stay home mom for a few years, I also was the (stereo)typical housewife, LOVE my soaps. Anybody want to talk about the soaps on ABC, I'm there. ha. I'm also a fan of Food Network & TLC. After 20+ years of being married, I find myself bored of the foods I've been cooking all these years. And have now started broadening my horizons. It's not easy with a houseful of picky eaters (me being one).

In the next few blogs, I will get a little more specific about the different areas of my life. But being from NE Ohio, I will share what I felt was one of the most important things in my life growing up here, Michael Stanely Band. I am a child of the 70's & 80's and you may begin to notice, I get stuck there sometimes, at least music wise!!

Have a wonderful day.......

No longer Anonymous on Wixy's blog comments,
Brenda

Coming Soon......

2008-07-18T10:11:00.001-04:00

Welcome, check back later for my very first blog. Brenda

Snicker*Snicker*Snort

Wow..

Should Have Mentioned....

Should I be scared??

Welcome to the family...

Where........

I'm tired...

I apologize...

God Bless....

Sorry...

I am Thankfull (really..)

Happy Friday

Then & Now:

Bad News-Good News....

Back Up Again (for now)

Old???

Sleepwalker Parade

A random thought...

Tired Tuesday...

Lazy Sunday....

Whew...

Brrrr...

Thoughs for the road....

My baby.........

I've been tagged...

Bad Day....

Great Show!!

Kisses..

More on my Trip...

Back Home Again...

Busy Weekend....

Spring is Here..

Idol Update....

Monday Updates...

It's Monday Again...

Notes on a Non-Whiny Wednesday....

Panic Attack for Mom...

Idol Top Ten...My Opinion

Happy Happy Monday

Idol through my ears....

Peek-a-Boo

The Party...

Here I am Again!!

Tuesday Tales...

The Wedding Day...

Gift Registries...

Sad News...

Meet the family....

Now you know my ABCs

Tuesday Ramblings...

I was tagged....

Ugh!!!

Happy Monday...

More of my favorite things....

Not so Merry Christmas...

A few of my favorite things (part one)

Whiny Wednesday....

Very Long Week....

Busy Busy Busy

With Love to Aunt Mary & Uncle Arthur...

Suprise # 2

Happy Halloween!!!

Rah Rah Rah....

It's Snowing!!!

I love you dad....

Music.....

Wednesday Whining....

Home Sweet Home..

Whiny Wednesday...

Oh Happy Monday...

Sorry I've been busy...

God Bless America...

Wayne County Fair...

Good Trend...

Wednesday Whining..

Thanks Wixy..

Need to whine some more...

Whiny Wednesday...

Monday Night Bowling

My family...

SnickerSnickerSnort

TGIF*