It's VACATION time!!

I wish I could say that I was heading off to some remote tropical resort, but.... I'm heading to the ball fields!! Bailey's softball team is playing their Nationals Tournament this next week and we will be spending our days and nights at the softball fields in extreme heat and dealing with extreme grumpiness! LOL Say a little prayer for my patience... we will ALL be together the next 11 days! This can't be good! LOL

Luckily the tournament is only 20 miles from our house, so that means we won't be spending our vacation money on gas, but I'm sure we will find something else to blow it on! Or should I say the girls will find something that they simply must do or can't live without?

Think about me as I'm sitting in my lawn chair with my camera in hand snapping some great active pitching shots of Bailey and listening to Briley whine about how hot and bored she is! Oh boy, oh boy.... this is going to be so much fun!!!! (Yes, that was sarcasm!!)

I should probably up my dose of Lexapro, just to be on the safe side so that no one gets hurt!!! ROFL!!!

I should be back online and blogging myself silly after August 1st! Have a great week! And if any of you happen to be at a beach - send me some sand!!! I'm having vacation withdrawals.... I need to smell salt water and I need to feel the waves splashing me! I guess about all I can hope for is the splash of my trusty water sprinkler as I'm sprawled out in my lawn chair! (UGH... not a good visual!!)

We live on Divorce Lane, USA

Last night I was told that two of the near and dear couples that live on our street are getting divorced. I was shocked!! We all moved into our new country homes within months of each other and for the past 6 years our kids have really gotten to be good friends. Now don't misunderstand, we are not the kind of neighbors that cookout and and hangout together on the weekends, but our kids do play together and we all buy the junk our kids are peddling for their school fund raisers... ya' know?

There are a few times a month that we all stand around some one's driveway and discuss the latest happenings on the street - such as the coyotes and the kids and their 4-wheelers, or the new family that just moved in and has an obnoxious teenager??? LOL ... But nothing usually too personal. I guess we just all like it that way?

Anyway, of the 40 original families and new homes that were built 6 years ago, in that short time we have had a whopping 10 couples/families that have gone through divorce. I am in complete shock! Three of these divorces have occurred in the past 3 or 4 months!!

I realize this is a very common thing in our society, but it just seems so extreme when it's all within one horseshoe/street of homes.... KWIM? I fully realize and can understand the frustrations that have risen for hubby and I while living in the country and I make no qualms about it... I HATE IT!!! The whole septic system thing is just gross, the rural mail service sucks, the outrageous cost of utilities because we are so far from town, and the simple fact that we have RATS and BUGS... UGH... I hate BUGS!!!! Some days seeing a dead rat in my driveway is almost more than I can handle - AGAIN!!! (At least the cat is earning her keep!)

Maybe these other couples have been struggling the same way? I just really don't know, but I do know that it was a huge culture shock for our kids to attend the country school and its been a huge pain the butt to live so far from civilization. Maybe the stress has just been too much for their families as well? There have been MANY days when I had to literally force myself to drive home after work, because I HATE living out there! I'm a city girl - I need TARGET and KOHL's.... well you get my point! I want to GO see a movie, not wait until DISHTV decides to play it on Pay-per-View! I just about had hubby convinced to 'move to town' until this dang housing market slump hit Dallas - UGH - now he's in a holding pattern and won't even consider the idea of 'moving on up to the East side'! LOL

What do you think? Is it normal that a quarter of the folks in one neighborhood have gotten divorced in just under 6 years? What is in the water?

Dog Days of Summer

This is a Labradoodle (sp?) that belongs to some of our softball buddies,

his name is Tucker.

He was just too cute holding his own water bottle at the ball game - this dog weighs about 150 pounds - he's a big fellow, but very lovable.

More Healthy Lifestyle Changes to Report

I've completed one full week of Curves and I am really starting to feel more energized. Also, I'm following the Weight Watchers Points Program. I'm not very centrally located to a group that I can get to easily, so I'm going to try the on-line thing. I've just got to get serious about this and really follow the plan. I know I can, but it's a matter of preparing the food and snacks ahead of time - that - I'm not so good about.

Oh, and I don't have too many pounds to loose to reach my goal - just *** 70*** UGH!!! How did I ever let my weight get so out of control?

New Day - I'm taking the blame for myself and just going to keep going. Glug... Glug... I'm drinking my water!

Please share with me your WW stories, tragedies and successes!

DETOXING your children...

After going to Grandma's!!! I'm sure you moms out there know exactly what I'm talking about? Whether its the sodas they filled up on or the chocolate cookies they bring home in a baggie (like you need that temptation in your house?), or just the ability that all grandparents have of taking your rules and well taught manners and allowing your kids to throw them out the window! Well, we've got a new one for ya'!

**GREEN HAIR**

Now how many of you guessed that one? LOL I should have know that something terrible was going to happen when I continued to get messy-hair fishing pictures all week! The maternal gut instinct kicked in and I KNEW that my rigorous hygiene habits weren't being followed while the girls were at Pops and Granny B's house! (insert big eye ball rolling here) Apparently, those two girls spent most of their waking hours in the pool or the hot-tub, and it was quite obvious!

So we go to pick up my green haired munchkins on Friday night and I promise you... no exaggeration -SERIOUSLY Bailey's hair was LIME GREEN!!!! Briley's wasn't quite as bad, but it was well on it's way to being a scary Halloween hairdo. Both of them had hair that felt like gunky straw and obviously hadn't seen a drop of conditioner for DAYS!

**UGH!!! Grandparents... you just gotta luv' em! Right? Keep telling me this... 'cause they don't share my DNA! Thank goodness!!!! LOL **

Moving on.... we get home about 10pm on Friday and the detoxing of the green hair was about to begin. Luckily I have an amply stocked pantry and TOMATO sauce abounds on my shelves - so off we went with heads/hair doused in tomato sauce. Just one minor oops occurred - I accidentally opened a can of sauce that had garlic and basil seasoning in it - oh well - Bailey will be forever known as Pizza Head! No big deal - we let the girls sit with tomato sauce on their heads for about 30 minutes and then followed it with a PRELL shampoo chaser!

I'm proud to say that by 11:30 p.m. neither of my girls had green hair and Bailey no longer smelled like a pizza! I wish I could say the same about my shower, but the pizza smell is still lingering in there! UGH.... Oh well - I can deal with that and a little Clorox clean up, I can't function with GREEN hair! LOL

What horror stories do you have from coming back from grandma's?

And just for the record - I did try to take pictures of the girls sitting around my kitchen bar with tomato sauce on their heads, but they absolutely refused!

Well how cool is this? I've received an award from Ronda over at http://rondaspeachykeenlife.blogspot.com/ - I'm so giddy!! I didn't realize my little ole' babbling web page was on anyone's list!! LOL

Now I have to pass this goodie along to 7 other deservings folks? Hmmm???? How will I only pick 7? So here's my list...

1)http://homemakingforkings.blogspot.com/

2)http://livinglifeintheheelofaboot.blogspot.com/

3) http://www.providencehandmade.blogspot.com/

4) http://countrydreamingirl.blogspot.com/

5)http://swampsuburbia.blogspot.com/

6)http://chocolatechic.wordpress.com/

7)http://olabelhe.blogspot.com/

Check these out! They are all so great and keep me laughing most of the day!

Here are the rules:
1.Put Logo on your blog
2.Add a link to the person who awarded you
3.Nominate 7 fellowbloggers for this award
4.Add Links to the recipients
5.Leave a comment to recipients let them know they have an award

Have a great Monday!!!

Christmas in July???

What the heck is the deal with this???? The Lifetime Network has been showing a ton of Christmas movies this month, and last night on Hallmark channel I saw a commercial for another Christmas movies this weekend! UGH... WHY??? Don't we get enough of that sappy stuff during November and December?

Then on Tuesday as I was listening to the same radio station at my desk that I always listen to, they began playing Christmas music. That was supposed to last the entire day - YUCK!! It's 100* outside, I'm not in the mood for jingle bells. I had to change my radio station before I became ill or just more pissy! LOL The next day the dj's were commenting about all of the ugly emails they received... well... duh?? It's NOT Christmas.

Next up are all of the mattress and furniture stores that are advertising Christmas in July sales? Why? Did I miss something? Are we going to just eventually evolve into a twice a year Christmas? I certainly HOPE NOT!!! It's bad enough the Wally World alread has their school supplies, Halloween decorations, and Fall seasonal items on the shelves. It just really makes me grumpy!! LOL I know - I'm starting to sound like a grumpy old woman, but I like the smell of freshly chlorinated swimming pools and I like to shop for summer stuff, WHEN IT'S SUMMER, not in Early January - or atleast that would appear to be the direction the marketing trends are heading? Good Grief!

Am I just being hard to get along with? Or is this just out of control? I don't want a Christmas in July, complete with the music? Do you?

I'm not a food snob...

But I'm definitely a PHOTO SNOB!!! Lately, as I learn more and more about how to properly use my camera and not just the point and shoot method, I have really started to notice what OTHER PEOPLE do wrong in their pictures. Now don't get me wrong - I'm not going around calling them out on their photog skills or tastes, but I do notice and I do make mental notes in my head of what does and doesn't work.

Even pictures that relatives have taken of my kids, I just don't like them or I must take them and tweek them a bit and hopefully I can find a point that I can stop and be happy. I am so horrible! I should just be happy that others want to snap my kids, but really I don't like their compositions or lighting choices. I know... I know... you can roll your eyeballs now!!!

I guess it's just more along the lines of my OCD stuff - I'm picky and I expect everyone else to be also?

Oh well.... I'll just keep snapping pictures of my kids or whatever I want and doing with them what I want! LOL I have convinced myself to purchase a new telephoto lens....So BEWARE...I am going to be pracitcing all weekend! Who knows what fun stuff I will have to show you on Monday!

Have a great weekend!

Comfortable Shoes? Hurting Feet?

Well check this out...Apparently these are the latest fashion shoes in Japan.





Now look at this.....

I might need to rethink my shoe fetish!! My feet hurt just looking at this poor woman's feet. Bless her heart!!!

Day 2 of being back at Curves went much better - I made it through the full 30 minute circuit and didn't immediately collapse on the floor! LOL Honestly, I did feel better the rest of the evening, so maybe there is something to this exercise stuff, after all?

I also learned that taking Cinnamon Supplements is supposed to help your body better metabolize sugar - hmmm? That's a new one on me. Who knew? Apparently it's not the same effect as eating cinnamon/sugar toast dripping with butter, on a daily basis - so we'll see? I've taken them last night with my salad and now again this morning with my breakfast. I've just added the cinnamon capsules to the Vitamin B Complex that I already take on a daily basis. At this point I am going to try any and all natural supplements that might help with this blood sugar stuff, I really don't want to be on any medication regimen before it is absolutely necessary and I've exhausted all of my best efforts.

Here's how I figure it - my dear grandmother is 88 and still going strong. She attributes her good health to eating right, vitamin supplements, and daily exercise. Maybe, just maybe if I follow her lead, I can live to be as old and as healthy as she. I don't think I can ever be as ornery, but I'm willing to give it a try.

What vitamin supplements do you take daily?

I'm just going to go out on a limb here in hopes that the reason my kids look like drowned rats is because they had just gotten out of the hot tub or pool? Obviously hair is not a top priority at the lake! UGH????? (I've rolled my eyes at least a hundred times at these pictures! LOL) Is this what my kids do when I'm not around to tell them to brush their hair? I don't even want to think about their bathing or teeth brushing habits while away from MOM!!!



And just incase you are wondering - splashing around in the hot tub or swimming pool does not constitute having had a bath! OMG!!

I guess I should also comment on their big catches of the day! Funny thing is I don't think those are exactly the keepers they had in mind? LOL Looks like it was a catch and release day of fishing! Obviously they are having a great time with Pops and Granny B at the lake house!

(I realize my munchkins have only been away from home for 2 days, but I miss those kids! Our house is too quiet and dull - I need my munchkins!!!)

Work with me - here....

I re-joined or reactivated my membership yesterday at Curves and attempted to do the 30 minute circuit. Sadly, I could only muster enough energy to get through 20 minutes but I have every intention of returning today to make it through 30 minutes!

It's a new day ! Even though I'm in pain, it isn't the same Polio Pain that I've been dealing with! I like to think that this is a good painful feeling, if that's possible? I think you know what I mean?However, one itty bitty development has arisen - uh - uh - Do you have any idea how difficult it is to rise off of the toilet when your leg muscles feel like jello? It's not a pretty sight! LOL

Now that I've left you with that awful image, I must go - :)


Oh, and just so you don't have any withdrawal symptoms of seeing pics of my kids - my MIL sent me some cute pics of the girls fishing off of their dock yesterday. As soon as I get them 'tweaked' up a bit, I will share them with you. LOL

Run Down for the week and Return Polio Symptoms

Let's see... it's MONDAY (ugh!) and I'm at work trying to make myself look busy and stay awake. Today is my MIL's b-day, so we will make the obligatory trip to have dinner with the family. It's really not all that bad, but the hour drive there and back gets a little old when I have to get up and come to work tomorrow.

Luckily, Bri and Bailey are at their 'other' grandparents' house at the lake -so they will have a great time this week fishing and swimming. It's a mini vacation for them when they get to go to Pop's house! LOL Brit is still working full time and I think she is going to register for another class during the last summer semester. She made an 'A' in her Psychology Class this summer, and I'm really quite proud that she has stuck it out going to school and working. I'm not going to say too much - too soon! I might jinx it!

Since the girls are out-of-town this week my meal plans are going to be minimal - as in - nadda - nothing - you are on your own - fix it yourself week! I am also going to re-join Curves and see if I can't improve my mobility a bit! I must do something to to try to loose some weight as my back and my knees are only becoming more painful and just simple movement out of the bed is beginning to be very painful.

I KNOW that exercise has always helped in the past, and I'm not going to give into medications until I give exercise a try - AGAIN! About 20 years ago, my Dr. told me that the Polio pain would come back with a vengeance if I stopped exercising on a regular basis - well??? I guess he might be right about this? I hurt - every day - all day! This weekend was really what cinched the deal when I almost couldn't move out of the bed due to the pain. I had to take TWO of my prescription pain pills in order to get any relief to be able to sleep. That was a first for me! And I hope it was the last! At the time I was diagnosed with Polio, I didn't have any visable symptoms, as such, but over time they are making themselves evident. Obviously I have entered into the Post-Polio Syndrome stage. I really don't complain much to my family because basically they don't believe the extreme amount of pain I am in and I've just learned to compensate and ignore so much of the pain - but this weekend really scared me. The pain was incredible!

Yep - I've got to get serious about the weight and the mobility! I'm too young to be going through this and it's absolutely pathetic that I have put myself LAST for so long that I have allowed my health to deteriorate - so .... onward and upward! I've got to get busy moving my booty!

Fun & Games

WE (the girls and I) are serious board game players! At times I am quite competitive and just down right ugly about winning. It was a sad, sad day when Briley could finally beat me at UNO! I mean, how does that happen? She's 7 years old - I'm the Queen of UNO - Everybody knows that!

Well recently we've over-dosed on UNO, UNO Attack, Trouble, and pretty much any of the other traditional board games. So after seeing a commercial for Battleship I remembered that I had had one when I was younger and being the extreme OCD person that I am, you can bet that I have kept all of my childhood board games in tip-top condition. (I'm really quite obnoxious about the boxes and keeping them in one piece. But I'm sure you were already on to me about that one? LOL)

After a very disturbing phone call to my mother, in hopes of locating my old Battleship Game, she was quite reluctant to admit to me that she had thrown my game away! GASP!!! WHAT? HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!!! I left it with her 20 years ago in perfect condition - what could have possibly happened to MY GAME!!!

Well???? MY kids happened to it! Apparently my mother is not as conscientious about keeping games in mint condition and she allowed her grandchildren to tear the game up and loose pieces! (I began to feel weak and tremble - quick - I need a coke!!) After I consoled myself over the traumatic loss I realized that I could just go buy another game. After all, I am an adult and I don't have to share my games anymore - if I really don't want to? Ya know?

I proceeded to drag Briley to the store to purchase a new Battleship Game, all the while letting her think that she was going to get a new game - little did she know that it would be mine... all mine! BAWAHHHAHAAA........

Fast forward a few days and several hundreds of games of Battleship - UGH - I've met my match!! Briley can beat me in that one too... How could I have let this happen? Could I be loosing my grip? I am the QUEEN of board games!!! Don't these people understand? What part of I'm the QUEEN do you not get? LOL

What games do you and your kids play that create friendly competition - or maybe not so friendly? LOL

For those that know me... I think you will agree.

This pretty much sums ME up!!! LOL
Try it out - see what your hillbilly name is?

Your Hillbilly Name Is...

Leanne Lou Dallas

http://www.blogthings.com/hillbillynamegenerator/">Hillbilly Name Generator

You've Been Served!

With an eviction notice, that is! Remember these pesky barn swallows I told you about last week? Well these little darlings are chirpy and loud and are starting to get their feathers. As soon as they start to take flight they are going to be evicted! I've got my ways!!!! It's time for them to go, fly, be free... and get off of my porch!

These are the cousins that live around the back of the house on the back patio!! They must go too!!! Time is running out for all of them - there are six little darlings in this nest and five in the nest on the front porch. I figured I've done my fair share to contribute to their plight to multiply, but time is up. Move out.

Another picture of my little cutie

Well, it is Monday and I have absolutely nothing creative or productive to blog about, so... here's a picture of Briley riding her bike in the July 4th Parade - for your viewing pleasure, of course!

**You all know that I don't do Mondays very well - so - I promise to be back to my usual blogging crazy self tomorrow!**
Oh and my attempt to quit caffeine has gone bad - Instead of quitting cold turkey, I've had to just limit myself. Some days I just NEED a nice cold glass of Iced Tea to make it all better. And, yes I also NEED a coke from Sonic to improve my mood, but I'm not drinking them all day long and there are even a few days that pass when I don't have either - so I'm not going to kick myself over the defeat, I'm going to just be happy that I'm able to limit my caffeine intake and go with that. Next up on my list is my terrible addiction to NO exercise! This really must improve! LOL

You just might be a redneck if....

If this is the view from your front yard at 10:00 am on July 4th! Yep - a neighborhood parade!

You might not believe this, but Bailey and her friend spent the entire week plotting and planning their parade entry! They made the hats themselves out of newspaper and paint. Who says patriotism is dead? LOL

Happy 4th of July!!!!

Look at what I did

(In this picture the colors are closer to real-life, but you can't really see the detail)

These are the letters that I have been working on for Bri's room. I am really quite pleased with myself! I think it's been close to 100 years since I was in the mood to do anything crafty and certainly that long since I actually finished a project that I started. :)

(This might show a little more detail, but take my word for it - the prints are super cute and they match with her comfortor and accessories.)

Quirky Behavior or Obesessive Compulsive Disorder?

As most of you know - I'm quirky, to say the least. It's the little things that drive me over the edge most days! Maybe I'm just 'high strung', as my grandmother says... who knows? My dad was OCD and usually did a pretty good job of hiding it, but those that live with him knew his time bombs, so to speak! LOL Let me interject this, my grandmother quit ironing for my dad when he was about 16 years old...she actually threw the iron at him!! LOL But I totally feel his pain! No one irons the way I want it done.

Anyway on to my issue/drama today - I know you check back on my blog everyday just to see what drama is unfolding in our crazy house! LOL Well, here's the latest ....According to my family I'm NOT quirky - I'm far from it - I'm OCD!!! Okay - maybe I am, but really is it too much to ask that the dishwasher get loaded in a certain manner - such as plates on a particular side, glasses in a row, and bowls in in the top shelf? I mean really now - the dishes don't get cleaned as well if they are just thrown in there like a mini explosion! UGH!!! Yes, this drives me nuts!!!! I have done my fair share of door slamming and fuming over the lack of order in loading a dishwasher? OCD? or Quirky?

Next up is the simple fact that I want the clothes folded in a certain fashion. It's not hard to do a three fold towel (or military 'e' fold)... It's not difficult to fold dish towels so that they lay well in the drawer. Which by the way, I like my dish towel drawer to be in an orderly fashion....dish cloths on one side in small neat stacks and dish towel on the opposite side in neat little stacks. HOW HARD IS THAT????

Okay moving on.... Why would they put doors on a pantry if they didn't want you to use them... UH HELLO - why can't anyone close the pantry doors!!! Absolutely makes me nuttier than I am - close the dang doors!!! I'm sure you can already imagine that my pantry is also in a nice and neat orderly fashion... yes, yes, I have all of the cans facing forward, stacked neatly ~ I use clear plastic boxes to store snacks (of the same kind) and clear plastic containers for noodles, dry beans, flour, sugar, and just about anything else that needs to be sealed up. I like these containers to stack neatly as well.... hmmm? Maybe I am a little OCD??? Just a little? I do have a bit of a stress when I go to the pantry to retrieve saran wrap and the wax paper is sitting on top of the foil and the plastic wrap, which is NOT the order I prefer.... so maybe not so quirky?

Another little ditty is the simple fact that I must have my bed made up - each and every day! Also, I have a particular order that I want my throw pillows in.... it's not rocket science, but I like it the way I like it. Now really - don't you feel the same way? Oh and I have the same issue with throw pillows on the couch - uh - they go a certain way! It's that simple!!! LOL

Basically, most items in my household have a particular place and I like them put there. I want the vacuum cleaner facing the same way (my way) and I want the various nick-knacks all in the same spots I put them. Okay... Okay... I just consider this QUIRKY!!! My family.... well.. not so much! They think I'm crazy, but are happy to just have me committed for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

And quite honestly, the list of my issues could go on for days!!! Let's don't even get started on my morning shower and dressing routine - it really makes me look like a lunatic!! LOL

So what about you - Quirky? or OCD?