I think this just about sums up our week around here.... we've had temps ranging from the teens to the sixties. We've had snow and ice and now the sun is shining like a Spring day! Wow!!! What a week! Welcome to Texas!

Tonight I'll need to take some nerve pills, as soon as I find some, because the girl scout troop is making cut-out cookies and decorating them tonight. So let's recap shall we... 11 little girls, all 6 and 7 years old... turned loose in the kitchen of the Methodist Church with raw cookie dough, cookie cutters, and bowls of icing? Uh.. yea... this is going to be an adventure!

Have a great weekend!

Ice Day??? Sorta???

Well the ice storm blew through last night and left us with some frigid temperatures and a nasty layer of ice on EVERYTHING. However, the good news is that since we live in the southern sector of the Metroplex, we didn't get the heavy coated that our friends to the north received. As I type, the sun is shining and the ice is melting. Woo Hoo!! The most treacherous part of my drive into work today was getting out of my garage and down the steep hill of my driveway - we just coasted and all was fine.

While most of the area schools are closed, our little district decided to start late and I dropped the girls off at school at 10:00 a.m. and then came on into work. I don't know why... it's like a dead zone around here. The phones aren't ringing, there's a skeleton crew working today and it's just all around boring! It was nice to get in a few extra minutes of sleep, but I could have really used a few hours of 'free' time at home to clean house. Ya' know? There's just something about being at home in the middle of the week? I tend to get so much more accomplished, than when I am at home on the weekends? I wonder why that is?

Oh well - I'm here, I'm trying to look busy and I'm surfing the web - so I guess all is well in my little world?

Stay warm!

Brrrr.... it's cold outside!

Yep, we are having a couple days of winter and the Metroplex is preparing like it was THE GREAT BLIZZARD! Oh what do I care if these folks over react to a little ice and slush...I'm not getting out in it! LOL

I hate the cold - I don't wanna feel the wind chill - I don't wanna drive in this stuff - I don't wanna get out of my comfy house. Can you tell? I'm not much of a winter girl - give me the Bahamas or a Caribbean breeze ANYDAY.

I'm sure if the wintry mix accumulates like they say, the schools will be closed tomorrow and I'll 'get' to stay at home with my kids. Oh who am I kidding? I don't want to come to work, it's just that simple, I want a SNOW DAY too!

Our offices are closing at 2:30 today since the news forecasts predict a rough ride home this evening as the precipitation increases and the temps drop further. Woo Hoo....I'll be home an hour or so before the bus drops the girls off - that's a little nappy time for me! Not to mention, we won't be having Tumbling Class tonight so Briley and I will just stay in and snuggle - our favorite thing to do, Just give us some snuggle time in my big bed, a coloring book, and a box of 'unbroken' crayons and WE are happy! What better way is there to spend the dreary evening?

Stay warm and have a wonderful evening!

I vote for a Do-Over

Of the weekend! We were so busy this weekend that I just simply didn't get around to my usual chores - so I need a Do-Over! Not to mention the weather here is acting like it's actually WINTER! The temps are only going to be in the 30's and they are predicting rain/wintry mix - UGH!!! Why oh why couldn't I have been a Stay-At-Home (in bed) Mom? Oh that's right, now I remember .... my kids want to wear shoes and EAT on a regular basis!

To make it through the usual Monday Blahs... I'll pass on a little funny I found in my email this morning....

Yesterday I had a flat tire on the interstate. So I ease my car over to the shoulder of the road, carefully, get out of the car and open the trunk. I took out 2 cardboard men, unfolded them and stood them at the rear of my car facing oncoming traffic. They look so life like you wouldn't believe it! They are in trench coats exposing their nude bodies and private parts to the approaching drivers.

To my surprise, cars start slowing down looking at my life like men. And of course, traffic starts backing up. Everybody is tooting their horns and waving like crazy. It wasn't long before a state trooper pulls up behind me. He gets out of his car and starts walking toward me. I could tell he was not a happy camper! 'What's going on here?' 'My car has a flat tire', I said calmly. 'Well, what the hell are those obscene cardboard men doing here by the road?' I couldn't believe that he didn't know. So I told him, 'Hellooooo, those are my emergency flashers!

Have a great Monday!

Still not feeling up to snuff today - but I did call in 'sick' yesterday and sorta 'did my thing' around the house. It always makes me feel better to have some down time without kids coming in and out and demanding food or entertainment.

I'm not sure what this is that we are passing around to each other, but for the past week or so someone has been complaining of body aches, headaches and just general grumpiness? I'm ready to be done with this. I literally didn't have the strength to lift my arms yesterday - with any luck I'll live through it and continue to suffer? LOL

As strange as it sounds - I did drag myself to Curves yesterday and completed a 35 minute round of exercise, and I do feel much better. I also started back on guzzling gallons of water and the truth of the matter is that I've just let myself go for too long and I've allowed my kids to dictate to me what I need to do. It's all gotta stop! I've got to get back on track with taking care of ME! I think my sedentary lifestyle has only added to my discomfort and I know my mental state is just not right - so - here I go again! One step at a time - less coca cola and more water. I'm also going to shoot for making it to Curves again tonight - if dinner isn't on the table by 6 p.m. then I guess they will just have to wait for me to prepare it?

Wish me luck - I talk tough this early in the day!

Just not in the mood today....

For much of anything. I sure hope I'm not coming down with some weird crud, but all I want to do is crawl back in bed.

I'm also a little angst with all of the hullabaloo about this inauguration - I mean - seriously folks- he may have 'black' skin, but he was raised as a white boy in a white boy's world. Do you honestly think you've succeeded in getting a 'black man' in the White House? I don't really think so, and I don't really care what the color of his skin is - I just want a President that can do a good job.

In all honesty, I feel sorry for the guy - he's got a lot of people counting on him and if he fails to produce the majestic changes that he's expected to produce - well - what are you gonna say then?

Oh well... for what it's worth - it's just my opinion and I'm not really in the mood to defend my crazy rambles.

Don't leave me now...

Okay - I've lost my mind and decided to re-do the look of my blog.....

Let's just say it's not quite what I had in mind, so give me a few more tries to get it looking more like my personality - quirky and off center!

TGIF

Woo Hooo.... I've made it to Friday!

This week has been filled with all kinds of stress causing events.

First off, we've all been worrying and dealing with a sick pig, who by the way is finally on the road to recovery. We've had a 'pig specialist' come out and determine that she had indeed been suffering with the flu and was given a powerful couple of shots and seems to be perking right up and getting well! Thank goodness - we were all a little on edge when we thought we might loose her!

The good news around our dining table last night was that Bailey saw her 'peeing' twice in just a matter of 30 minutes or so. Yes folks, we really were talking about the pig's bowel movements while eating dinner! You just never know what will turn up around our dining table?
I'm usually prepared for the worst!

Next, I agreed to tackle painting Brit's room --RED-- and much to my dismay it has been a horrible nightmare! If I ever mention painting anything red again- quickly slap me! It seems as though we should have started with a grey undercoat - which we didn't find out until we were already two gallons into it and two walls covered... UGH.

So anyway, after much tear shed and life threatening, my husband finally agreed to take it over and 'fix' our mess. I'm glad to say that we only need one more coat of trim work on the top of the walls and I need to touch up the white shiny paint on the crown molding and we are DONE! Only 4 coats and 4 gallons of paint later... UGH!!!

My plan is to shampoo the carpet tonight and start putting up curtains/blinds and moving furniture back in to the room on Saturday. Let me repeat that - We WILL finish on Saturday or someone's going to die! This isn't going to be pretty-my house is turned upside down and I'm working on my very last nerve - so you can imagine that the tension in our house is not at the best possible level! LOL

Finally, this is the beginning of Girl Scout Cookie sales, and Briley has bugged the poo out of me every single night this week about going up and down the street selling cookies. This is something else that I absolutely despise - begging folks to buy stuff from you! Anyway, I'll let her hit up our immediate neighbors and family members this weekend, but I don't foresee Briley setting any new Girl Scout Cookie Sales Records... Ya' know what I mean?

I'm hoping for a much better weekend? Oh who am I kidding? I'm sure there will be some other emotional outburst or teenage drama unfolding as I naively drive home tonight, thinking all is right with the world...

Laptop Suggestions

Yes, I'm plastering more pictures of my kids on my blog - I'm trying to find a bit of stress relief in scrapbooking. I'm not so sure it's working, but I do enjoy it, so I guess I'll keep it up.



I have been toying with the idea of purchasing a Dell Notebook - ya' know - the small ones that are basically only good for surfing the web or email and formatting pictures. My reasoning is that I would like a place to call my own - not something I have to share with the kids - ya' know? I want a computer that I can tinker with my scrapbook stuff, keep up with my recipes, check my email, surf the web, load photos to and from - ya' know... just my stuff! I don't have any grand plans of running a business off of it and I certainly don't intend on creating some pivot table spreadsheet.

Anyone have any first hand experience with these new-age wonders? I would like to hear your horror stories, praises, or suggestions.

This is one that I've sorta been looking at....

Dell Latitude E5400 - $549 - Weight & Dimensions:
Starting weight: 5.58 lbs/2.54 kg9
Width: 13.31"/338mm
Depth: 9.61"/244mm
Height: 1.46"/37mm

Pig Woes

Oh dear, we have pig problems! The Vet was called out this past Saturday and determined that our little piggy has the flu, along with another cow that shares the barn with the pigs.

So as any good Pig Dr. would do, he promptly gave her a shot of antibiotics and we were hopeful that she would be getting better and eating more. Sunday when the girls went down to the barn to walk and talk to the pig, she was acting like she felt much better and eager to have her belly scratched. It even looked like she was eating her feed more and things were looking up!

Well... then comes Monday - little Miss Daisy Pig is not so hot! She's still just lying around her pen and still appears to be under the weather. We have another pig-farmer-specialist coming out to check on her tonight, so maybe he can give us some 'secret pig feed recipe' that will help her start to feel better? Seriously - we've already bought a new fangled pen heater that is supposed to help her, we've put her on new pig feed that's obviously laced in gold nuggets, and the cost of the Vet and the meds... Insert HUGE eye rolling moment for me!

It would be just our luck to have this dang pig die on us and we wouldn't be able to make bacon out of her for some weird health concern!

I'll be sure to update you tomorrow with more Daisy Pig progress! LOL

On a lighter note...

I'm feeling so much better with my new meds! It's great to NOT have heart palpitations constantly! I have noticed a marked improvement in my energy level and feel so much better than I have in weeks/months!

I'm here to tell ya', blood pressure can do all kinds of things to your system... and not good! The mini-anxiety attacks I was having have also stopped and I'm ready to tackle all kinds of things around the house.

Currently I am painting Brit's room a lovely shade of cherry cobbler... yes... that's red with a hint of pink! It's really looking very pretty and it feels so nice to have something marked off of my to-do list. Watch out! I feel a lovely shade of sage coming on on a bathroom??? LOL

Partying with your kids???

Good Monday Morning to you all! Let me first say that I'm so sorry I haven't logged in or blogged yet this new year, but I'm sure you all understand when I say that 'life' has gotten in the way of everything lately! I'm ready to get on with this year and get past the drama of the holidays and the stress that one particular child, whom we shall call college diva, has been putting me through lately. Okay, so moving on....

The topic of "partying with your kids" comes to mind...I don't mean throwing a party and enjoying the festivities at your home and cutting a cake. I mean taking your kids to the local honky-tonk and boozing it up with them??? GASP!!!

This past weekend Brit (college diva) was invited to a birthday party for a friend. This said friend was turning 19 and her parents were taking she and her friends to the local honky-tonk for dancing and fun. Uhh.... okay... they do let 18 yr olds in and they stamp your hand so that they can't sell you booze, but STILL? What decent parent lets the kid celebrate their birthday at a BAR???? Obviously I'm a huge bore and prude? Am I missing something here? Is it okay that the 'mom' and 'dad' get so boozed up that they are no longer legal to drive home? HELLO??? Ya' wanna know why the younger generation of kids think that drinking and driving drunk is okay - well???? Their parents do too?

Ya wanna know why so many young girls thinks it's okay to dress provacatively and dance on tops of the tables.... well?? There mothers do it!!!!

As the events of the party unfolded yesterday and I began to overhear all of the details, I was just amazed!!! I can't believe these so-called adults openly discuss their inebriation's with their children and their children's' friends. The openly boast about how drunk they are or what a great drink they've tried. What's more is that I can't believe they speak in such vulgar and filthy language in front of anyone and everyone... I am absolutely amazed and shocked!

This is not the first time I've heard of this - as a matter of fact - another party much like this one was last weekend for another one of Brit's friends. I call it a shock and awe party! I would be so embarrased to behave in this manner, and most especially in front of impressionable young minds! My personal view is that I am responsible for my own actions and those of my minor children. As a responsible adult, I should make certain that I am behaving in a manner that is decent and moral - that being said - I'm obviously not going to be the partying mom that throws the best party on the block! Oh well???

I'll just stick to being my old-fashioned prudish mother !!!