Reverse Chronology

Well, (deep sigh) I have thoroughly enjoyed my hiatus from blogging. It's not that I don't enjoy it, rather the relief of the pressure...you know....."wow, that was way funnier in person than what I just typed!" So, bare with me and my usual canaille, here is blog catcher upper from a few weeks ago which will work up to Christmas over the next few entries.......

The kickoff, so to speak, was the Ornament Swap on the 9th of this month. We had about eighteen girls show up with hors d'oeurves and a dirty Santa present in hand. Lots of fun and laughs to be had along with the usual stealing involved in Dirty Santa. We offer no apologies or prejudice. If you are new to the group...sorry...if you have a gift we want, well, you know the ending to this story. There was one poor girl who kept picking the awesome presents. Guess what, we kept stealing them. Talk about a great first impression. I was fortunate enough to get a small ornament and a rockin' Tyler Candle (Paris) which happens to be my fav...WEIRD! Here are some pics from that event........
On Dec 18Th, several different friends went out for Deborah's graduation party. The event was held at Char and the graduate paid for everything at the end of the night. Above is a picture of myself with her....keep this wholesome image in your mind before you progress to the next few pictures. Congratulations to Deborah and her B.S. RN. A lot of hard work, sweat and tears went into that degree and you deserve all of it. Also, she only allowed girls to celebrate that fateful night and had commandeered a ride for all of us via her husband. Although I felt I was OK to drive (I live 1 mile away from the event) she persisted and I relented (not coquettishly) and had a safe ride home. I am so thankful for caring friends...thank you thank you thank you thank you
Here are the pics....scary I know but we had a great time!


Alright, for the most part....consider yourself caught up. I had a successful Christmas party even if the only 3 couples that hung out were the party ones. I was flattered considering I was 10 years older than the OLDEST ONE. They like hangin' with granny and all of her wisdom..apparently.

I Am A Copy Cat

Well kids, my friend Danielle at 'Don't Touch the Cactus' had a fabulous idea. She posted that she is taking a break for the holiday week from posting due to the craziness of the season. I think, once again, I am going to follow in her footsteps. I haven't blogged in almost a week and I have several pictures to post and some past party updates....but...I just cannot seem to get on here long enough to do it. For those of you who were concerned about my lack of entries!
Anyway, everything is absolutely lovely.....I am just up to my elbows with last minute Christmas things. I hope each and every one of you have a glorious and safe Christmas and I will write to you Sunday or so!

Late Evening Friday Fill Ins

1. No, we will NOT go down without a fight! (Independence Day)

2. We just don't eat meals like we used to at the old kitchen table.

3. I watched the steam rising from the hot cup of coffee (or tea) and thought: if I could just be wrapping my hands around that naked!

4. I think about how things may be and I know everything is going to be okay.

5. I'll take that shantung sofa! (Mandi)

6. The way I lead my life is the right way at least from my point of view.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out with girls to celebrate my friends graduation from RN school, tomorrow my plans include Marshall having a play date with his girlfriend and finishing my Christmas cards and Sunday, I want to celebrate Christmas with my Franklin family and drop my kids off for 4 days at grandmas..............whoooooo hooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Upper Cumberland School System

Typical for me, I have an arid period of posts then two in one day. I have been saving pictures which I have made on my phone from my home health travels. I could find the two latest ones that reflect the educational status of some folks in the Upper Cumberland. Now, I do understand one of my children attend this school system. However, the spelling errors on the two announcements, which I have labeled Evidence I and Evidence II, are almost too much to tolerate. It is not like they are trying to spell Czechoslovakia or onomatopoeia for goodness sake! I guess some people cannot function without spell check. Yes, I do use spell check but not for the two words I have pictures of.

Hopefully, you can enter Heaven in a 'van'! Notice the spelling of your final destination.

You may have to zoom in to see this one. My phone camera is a piece of cow dung so it would not focus well from across the street. Let me help you...it reads "New smoothered country potatoes" Lord help me, what is wrong with people. The scary part is, this was most likely placed by a manager who would also be in charge of cleanliness and sanitation!

I Am Running Out Of Time

Sorry for the long period of time between blog posts, kids. This Christmas season in conjunction with work, Christmas play rehearsals, the actual play, and all the social events on my calender has consumed the majority of my time. I still haven't started my darn Christmas cards, not to mention I have not ordered the games off the internet for Michael which means I probably won't get them in time for the big day. In lieu of a life shattering, transcendental moment (which is what my blogs usually evoke), I have decided to post a few cute pics of Marshall. The first one was at Hanging of the Greens at church last Sunday night. Please note the devilish grin on his face while he is sitting on the alter. I don't think he is supposed to have that look! The next one is a glimpse into our every morning look. Not necessarily the camouflage, footed pajamas but the arm full of stuffed animals which greet us every morning. Hey there little monkey.

Can Someone Finish My Christmas Cards

• Two weeks from today is Christmas. I am still scrambling for Wii games at half price...it is the Jew in me (no offense to any Jews who read this) I just love to get the best deal no matter what.
• Last night was the Lady Social/Ornament Swap at Cheryl' s house. We had a blast and everything was going well until Michelle opened the pre-packaged bag of broccoli! (Stinky) Other news, friends were amazed that I actually fixed a plate (big plate) and ate it. I do eat people....I feel I have a man's appetite...I just choose the time to present it.
• I finally received my Christmas cards that I ordered from Snapfish. They are OK but the pictures on the card are a little grainy. So much for $80! Would someone please come over and address all the envelopes. That would really help me.
• In less than 24 hours...my company Christmas party will be in full swing at my home. I finally threw in the towel and stopped painting the house. Mike was shocked and I had to do CPR revive him. My new housekeepers started yesterday and they rock. My shower has not been that clean in a really long time.
• I am bracing myself for the whirlwind involved during the holidays. Our free time is few and far between and the calender is filling up fast. What a blessing and a curse at the same time.

1. Good times: the definition is alluding...I am not sure what good times mean.

2. I want people to always be comfortable in my home.

3. Sleigh bells ring are you listening?

4. Doesn't that interest you even a little.

5. Once more, it will be different the next time....promise...what is PTSD anyway?

6. When will it ever end?

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the company Christmas party at my house, tomorrow my plans include NOTHING and Sunday, I want to finish my annual touch ups on the house and then do nothing.....maybe a Christmas card or two.

Babbling Bullets

• Marshall has a blister on his right hand from playing sword fight on Wii Sports Resort. I know I should make him stop but he is sooooo into it. He jogs in place as he swings his remote..works up quite a sweat and expends a lot of energy. Should I be concerned?
  

• I love Botox....yes, I have had several friends question me about this and I reply with a resounding YES. I get it .....I like it....and I offer no apologies.

• My youngest speaks with such a country accent....I am considering putting him up for adoption. Seriously, take whatever word you want and add an extra syllable.....this is what he does. Please help him!!!!

• I do love the Vikings only because they have never won a Super Bowl and my hubby is from Minnesota (we have been to the Metrodome to watch some games, nothing like watching football and baseball indoors). A little lost cause and I am all for helping little lost causes.....especially with Brett Favre. Everyone wrote him off as some old guy needing to retire...take a little peekaboo now! Both of my kids have Vikings jerseys and I require that attire when the Vikings are playing whether you are watching the game or not. I turn into my alternate personality with sports. Please don't provoke it......UGLY! I am highly competitive with sports I watch and especially sports I play! (Update: the stupid Vikings were served on a platter last night by the Cardinals. Since my friend Danielle was at the game at we were sending smack talk emails to each other all night during the game.......I get to eat crow first thing in the morning, sure it tasty.

• We ended up getting about an inch of snow Saturday morning. Wasn't enough to make a snowman but enough to ride the saucer down the hill at lightening speed. My mom ventured out around 8:30 a.m. on her usual Saturday trek to our house. Unfortunately, the bridges on I-40 were slicker than goose poop and she was stuck behind a wreck when she was about 1/3 of the way here. Since traffic was at a complete stand still, she had to turn around and go home. Why the bridges in Wilson County were so bad is beyond me. There were actually wrecks in both directions around Exit 245. The good news is, she came back later in the afternoon and spent the night. Win Win!

• Both Michael and Marshall participated in the Hanging of the Greens last night at church. For those of you who have never been an observer of such a thing, I highly advise it. Even if you don't come to church or necessarily believe in what church is all about. It is a lovely tradition with the children standing first and foremost from 3 years old to the high school kids. I almost cried once.
  

• Other than that not a whole lot.....I was able to repaint all the trim on the 1st floor of my home today. I love touch ups......it is definitely a love love relationship. Looks great! Now I only have the stairs and the second floor to touch up and I shall be done! Tomorrow will be the wall repaint. I am on a roll now that I have learned how to paint without tape...see me go! This whole house will be ship shape by the Friday company party!

Friday Friday Friday

I know everybody finds it hard to believe that I have nothing planned this weekend. I am such the socialite and staying at home for 2 days is hardly befitting one with such a title... ha ha ha. Nothing much during the week except work, school, and the math club Michael is now a member of. I think it is pretty cool but I do remember some of the social stigma attached to such a club. Well, maybe not in the 4th grade. Oh, if anyone has any bright ideas of how to get a 3 year old to crap in a toilet....I am all ears....er....eyes...since I am reading this!
By the way, the Upper Cumberland is under a Winter Weather Advisory! Expect 1-3 inches of snow says the Channel 5 guy. SNOW?.......we shall see.

1. You get what you pay for as in ear buds...DO NOT go cheap. I will be returning the 20 dollar ones that I purchased. The sound quality was crap....I felt as if I was listening to AM radio!

2. Choose the right to bear arms....we have the right to defend ourselves!

3. It's never been the right time. (How can someone always have something going on?)

4. Choir practice canceled....that is ridiculous! always an excuse! :)

5. I feel more heat now that I finally turned the upstairs unit on today!

6. Good luck and goodnight!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing and letting my Botox kick in, tomorrow my plans include putting the final touches on all the Christmas decorations and possibly playing in the snow and Sunday, I want to relax, watch football and attend the Hanging of the Greens at our church since both of my children are participating.

Happy weekend.

Here We Go Again

Happy Monday everyone. My four day weekend has come and gone with a bright light and a small explosion. I hate it when that happens. We went to my grandmother's house in Franklin for our Thanksgiving feast and I ate too much, as usual. I love going there to see my family but it is such a long drive from the big metropolis I live in! After a grand total of 3 hours and 20 minutes on the road....we made it home. The thing is, I had to get up at 3:45 the very next morning and drive to Cool Springs for Black Friday madness.
Kristie and I had a great time and went everywhere. Let me put it this way, we arrived at 6:20 and left at 4:30. I am proud to say I am 95% finished with my shopping as of the close of business on Friday AND I scored a sweet 5 dollar DVD of Christmas Vacation at Target. (which I tortured my family through that night because they did not have the option) Th only things I have left to buy are a couple of Wii games for Michael and some type of circuit/switch maker thingie he is wanting to do experiments with. I guess I can handle that.
Yesterday was Angela's day to lounge and lounge I did. I must say I am quite good at it. I peppered in some activity during my extremely arduous lounge time such as putting 1000 lights on the Christmas tree downstairs and cutting Michael's hair. Whew, I was exhausted! Later in the afternoon we journeyed to Cheryl's house to watch the Vikings beat the Bears like red headed step children, ate spaghetti and listened to the kids fight.
Tonight is going to be a lot of fun. It's time for the annual Christmas parade in our big town. We were invited to have chili and watch the parade from Henry Fincher's house since he lives right on the parade route. He and his wife are super neat people and he is our State Representative and funny as hell! I hope the kids have a lot of fun and we don't freeze our tookus's off.
Happy Monday!

Fell On, Black Days

Today is the 5th annual Cool Springs shoparama which marks the official kickoff for my shopping season. Every year we get up at the butt crack of dawn and make our way to said mall and shop for many, many hours. This is followed by a fantabulous meal at Macaroni Grill with the usual red wine and yummy olive oil dipped bread accoutrements. My girlfriends consider this the least we deserve after putting in such long hours on our feet and fighting crowds. I am waiting for my friend Kristie to arrive so I thought I would pass the time and make a quick entry about my mounting excitement. Well, that is it! Sorry, 5 a.m. is really too early to blog and make it even remotely interesting.

1. Wait! Wait, don't forget the 700 Wii games my child has requested this year!

2. Power shopping followed at once by buyer's remorse!

3. The trouble is I never make a specific list.

4. The mall we are shopping at is many miles away.

5. With a faint pop after the credit card was scanned; the limit had been officially met.

6. The checkout line stood before me shadowy and ominous.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to soaking my feet I am sure, tomorrow my plans include sifting through the previous day's booty and Sunday, I want to watch a little Viking's football and chill.

Friday Fill Ins on Sunday

Weird but true.....this is happening on a Sunday. I guess all the planets have finally aligned!
Kidding. The weekend went by too fast as usual, however, I feel a lot was accomplished. Cougar Run is finally over and "over 60 thousand raised" was thrown around. I sure hope that is correct. Quite a sum for a public school in a small town.
Mom's 61st birthday was today. I only wish I look as good as she does at this age. Size 4 at 61. PLEASE! She works hard for it so she deserves it! We visited her today and was able to finally witness her Condo transformation/remodeling......looks great and she deserves it. So here we go for the fill ins on Sunday.................

1. We need a little laughter and love in our lives.

2. I watched Christmas Vacation for the 100th time and it made me smile.

3. If you want happiness...you have to pursue it to any degree necessary.

4. Celebrate Christmas for all the right reason because it is the right thing to do.

5. Massachusetts has a proposed 5% sales tax on elective cosmetic surgery; I think beauty improvements should be at a 0% tax! After all we have sacrificed.

6. Laughing children, presents and lots of lights makes for a happy holiday.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Cougar Awards Night (finally!) tomorrow my plans include vegging in the house and doing nothing and Sunday, I want to go to Sunday School and then head for Nashville to help my mom celebrate her birthday.

It's Friday

Well, for once in my life I am at a loss for words. I went to the usual website to get my Friday Fill Ins and they were the same from last week. Oh NO! That has been my usual stand by for almost a year. So now I get to pen my Friday blog from scratch...this ought to be interesting!
My week has been riddled with visions of cougar paws dancing in my head. I must say the first one-thousand times I listened to 'I Like to Move It' and 'Party in the USA' it was kind of catchy, now...it makes me feel nauseous! Not to mention I will be listening to the DVD run it's loop for God knows how many times tonight as I try to sell my wares for school. What can I say, it is a labor of love. RIGHT!
The kids are doing great except for the mild concussion (kidding) Michael received on the playground yesterday. How one falls of a slide and hits their head on the next door slide is beyond me. I would say that is a "Had to be there situation".
Marshall is up to his usual antics. When we converted his crib to a big boy bed...we also changed the theme for 'nautical' to 'jungle. I felt that was apropos since I call Marshall 'monkey' all the time. So the wooden anchor with pegs for hanging up jackets was replaced with monkeys on the wall with hooks. Guess what, Marshall doesn't like the monkeys. He will periodically take them down and hide them in his toy box. I get to pull them out and Velcro them back to the wall. (we hang most things up with those 3M strips to avoid all those random nail holes. Yes, I am super anal!) Well he was finally on to me. So during his 'nap time' Wednesday, he not only took the monkeys down but he peeled the 3M strips off the back of each one and off the wall. To further make his point, he took the 3M carcasses and threw them over the balcony into the foyer below. Gee, I wonder what he is trying to tell me.

How Long Can I Dress My Kids Alike?

I have decided this is our 'farmer look' prior to church a week or so ago. When I bought the matching shirts, I wasn't seeing a Green Acres theme happening. In retrospect, I am now hearing banjos, there is a piece of straw stuck in my eye and where in the hell is my trucker cap!? Hopefully both of my children will have health insurance when they grow up to pay for the years of therapy which I am the catalyst for! Aren't they cute, though.

This past weekend was great and I tried to get out and enjoy the wonderful weather. My mom stayed with us all weekend long which is a special treat on its own. The kids love all that grandma attention and Mike and I enjoy the down time. Selfish but true.
Michael had his last soccer game Saturday and won. They only lost one this season so I am pretty proud of that. Sunday was a fairly laid back day. After church, Mike and I went to Bilmar to watch the first half of the Vikings game. I have become a huge fan of theirs all of the sudden and I really want to see Favre take them to uncharted territory, i.e. Super Bowl Victory.
Lastly, Michael bowled his first 300 on the Wii last night. It was fun to watch how excited he was.
Well, I know this is an extremely lame post but I wanted to write a little something because I know a lot of people log in on Mondays. I hope everyone has a wonderfully fabulous Monday.

Friday Fill Ins

Less than two weeks until Thanksgiving....can you believe it! I only blinked twice since it was Halloween and you all know what is coming up next....I won't actually say it...just make an innuendo about it! Michael gets so tore up about the 'holiday' commercials airing since Turkey Day has not even graced our presence. I just told the ole stand by "It gets sooner every year". He looked at me strange and that was the end of that. Well, off to work....I am trying to start early so I can finish by one or so. I will take any half days I can get!

1. The last band I saw live was the Counting Crows as far as a large venue goes. On a smaller scale we saw Stacy Mitchhart.

2. What I look forward to most on Thanksgiving are all the fixings. I could give or take a turkey but bring on the mashed potatoes, dressing, turnip greens, etc.

3. My Christmas shopping is DOA! I haven't even started and I usually don't until the day after Thanksgiving for my annual Black Friday extravaganza with my friend Jinger. (yes she spells it with a 'J')

4. Thoughts of this, that and the other fill my head. (I have ADD!)

5. I wish I could wear a full thick head of hair! My own...not a wig! Hey, I made a rhyme.

6. Bagpipes are one of my favorite instruments to listen to. I want Amazing Grace played on the bagpipes at my funeral.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to our weekly pizza, beer, and Wii bowling night with the family, tomorrow my plans include spending the day with my awesome mom who is staying the entire weekend and a soccer game and Sunday, I want to continue to enjoy this awesome November weather....bring on the shorts!

Ketchup

Hello all.....just a little catch up (ketchup, ha ha) from the weekend and such. I had been meaning to write something over the past couple of days but my computer face time has been hijacked by the Jihad (aka Cougar Run DVD creation). So here you go:

• Mike's birthday party was a smashing success. We had about 30 adults and 15 children ages 2 to 13. The food was great and there was plenty of it (thanks a lot to my family, Cheryl and Kristie for bringing food too). I find it amazing that no matter how big a home is, everybody hangs out in the kitchen. All the adults stayed buzzing around the kitchen with a few meandering outside at times to sit by the fire. I don't know why people do that but they do just about at any party. We got Mike a chainsaw for his birthday but he cannot decide if he would get more use out of that or a gas powered hedge trimmer. I told him it would not bother me if he exchanged it....it would bother me if he kept it and never used it!
• Michael had a soccer game on Saturday and his team basically served the other team. It was so bad and the other team's families were getting so frustrated that the referee threatened to eject a GRANDPARENT! Can you believe that? This is a 9 year old soccer game at the YMCA not the World Cup for heaven's sake. Oh, Michael scored a goal too!
• Lastly, I would like to thank all the Veterans in honor of their day yesterday. Mike is a veteran and spent 8 months in the desert (Saudi Arabia and a little in Iraq) during George Bush Seniors war. My mom is the only one that called and thanked him for his service! SAD..... :(

Lastly, I wanted to include this picture of Marshall. It is not the best of quality but hilarious. This is the get up he decided to go outside wearing on Tuesday. Did I tell you it was raining on Tuesday. Marshall sure can be a mess but some of things he does truly lights up my life. Please take note of the Star Wars pajama top, boxer briefs, and his Crocs.

Not Good Enough

I tell ya...it is hard being the AV person for an entire elementary school! Due to a technical difficulty, I lost a lot of what I worked on last night and I will blame that on a learning curve. I was unable to go back and make changes without starting all over again............I considered defecting to another country but opted to stay. Anyway, good things often come when you are least expecting...hence.. I realized I was not at all happy with my maiden Capshaw video. In other words, I redid the entire thing (mostly the music fades and such) and I am much happier. If you can stomach it, please watch the new and improved version........IT ROCKS!

FINALLY

Well, anyone who doesn't have a child at Capshaw could not possibly appreciated the hard work that went in to this video. I let the 4th graders vote on the top 3 songs they wanted to be included in the DVD so I am not responible for what was chosen. Yes, I know....there is an extremely long pause between the second and third song...also the opening page has 209 instead of 2009, duh..I am still working on that and I am too tired to worry about it tonight. . I am just so glad to have this albatross off of my back. The DVD is complete. (for the most part) Ode to Silas!

Happy Birthday

This is it......Mike is officially 40 years old and for his birthday he is emptying the dishwasher at this very moment....AND....has a load of laundry going. God love him. I will be a busy girl at work followed by a little thing I like to call a party! I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday and a fabulous weekend.

1. Plans and schedules are usually the first things that get changed in my experience.

2. I'm happy when things running smooth as planned and on schedule. See #1 above

3. The last thing I drank was a Diet Coke which I am getting ready to polish off right now.

4. One of the most valuable things in my life is my family although I do take a lot of that for granted at times.

5. I like pepperoni, green olives and bell pepper on my pizza.

6. Dear November, thank you for keeping the temperatures so mild and enjoyable.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to duh, BIG PARTY, tomorrow my plans include the usual soccer game and enjoying the 70 degree temps and Sunday, I want to take a load off and get ready for Monday!

Dear Lord Help Me

Look at the time...........10:20 central. I have a huge batch of chili, a huge batch of tortilla soup, taco dip, and am almost finished with the bacon roll ups (props to my sis in law, Kristen). I am exhausted...yet...I mustered the energy to wipe out the fridge shelves due to their heinous presentation. So as I see it.....at 6 p.m. tomorrow...my house will be swarmed with many a people along with their babes (kids) of all ages and sizes. Should be interesting. Mike will officially be 40 years old tomorrow. I think he is looking in to the senior 10% discount at Kroger during the first Wednesday of the month. Maybe not old enough yet, BUT, you don't know until you ask.
Hopefully I will have the wherewithal to take lots of pictures of his party and post them on Facebook. If you are a follower of my blog...I will only post of few on this site. Anywho, hopefully my Friday won't be too overwhelming although it looks as if I will be driving over 150 miles. As a friend of mine says..'that is why they pay you the big bucks'. Not for sure who they are or the definition of big bucks, but whatever! I sure hope this party goes off without a hitch!

WTH

Sorry for the profane acronym...however...I am rather peeved by how fast the weekend has passed me by. Brace yourself for this amazing update.

• Friday: After I decided to actually clean up and show myself in public.....I went shopping and performed some random ancillary errands. Marshall was in tow and I must say I enjoyed my 'our' time together. Of course, the finale of a Happy Meal for him was the final touch. At 2, the fam damily went to Michael's Halloween party at school. Other than the stifling heat, we all had a good time. I am about tired of the school system complaining of lack of funds but they don't adjust the thermostat????? Our tax money hard at work!

• Saturday started with IHOP. Mom drove up to visit for the weekend and decided to take us out for breakfast. It was a lovely treat and to see Marshall eat with both his left and right hand was quite the site. Even the young couple (early twenties, yikes) sitting next to us noticed the strange fork/knife dexterity involved with my three year old cutting pancakes.
  Apparently, Marshall had been entertaining them with this display for a good 10 minutes. We all went shopping for a couple of hours, came home to put Marshall down for a nap, and Mom and I ventured out for a 40 minute walk to burn off our late breakfast. I made a yummy tortilla soup with a rather large loaf of garlic bread and trick or treating we went. Michael is now big enough that he would rather go with friends :( So, Mom and I went with Marshall, my friend Heather, her boyfriend, her daughter and his three sons! We were quite the caravan of folk! Mike stayed home to make a huge fire in the outdoor fireplace and to hand out candy. The last trick or treater (is that a word?) graced our porch at 8:45 which personally I fill is a little late but that could also be my age talking.

• Sunday was sweet due to a little thing I like to call 'an extra hour'. Mighty fine! Mom went to church with us but had to hit the road when we got home. After settling down to do his homework I noticed Michael wiggling a tooth that has been loose for at least a century. I bribed him with a Wii game of his choice. TADA....the tooth is now out of his mouth and he is the proud new owner of Wii Sports Resort! Funny how that works. Then it was off to soccer at two o'clock which they lost by one point. Dangit! They were 4 points down in the 4th....had a good rally at the end.....but to no avail. We got home and I was so mad the Vikings game was not going to be aired on regular TV so we dropped the boys off at Mimi's (grandmother) and braved a smoke filled sports bar to watch it. Boy, you should smell my pillow this morning......I should have washed my hair last night before I went to bed. How do people walk around smelling like that....BBBLLLEEECCCKKKK!

Well kids...........that was the exciting update to my exciting weekend. It was actually very fun despite the speed in which it passed. Pictures are pretty self explanatory except for the one of Marshall by himself. That was the morning after candy hangover!

Much Deserved

Today my friends, I have a special announcement. I have an entire day off! I was able to sleep in the bed past seven in the morning. I am still in my pajamas while typing my blog on a Friday. I am having a yummy cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee. I get to go to my son's Halloween party at school. I get to have a pedicure today, maybe even a massage. BUT, enough about me....How are all of you doing on this fine, glorious, sunny morning?
As one can see from the lack of posts, my week has either been crazy hectic or uneventful. Let me say......a little of both. I worked a little extra so I could have this day off and I am so glad I did since three day weekends have become few and far between. Poor me, I know. We were finally able to settle the kids down last night and have some quiet for a movie viewing. We watched Gran Torino and may I say <<<>>>. This movie is wonderful and keeps your eyes glued to the screen. Ol' Clint is actually funny in a few parts which makes the movie even better since it is a drama and not a comedy. If you have not viewed this flick....get it and tell them I sent ya! Have a wonderful Halloween weekend.

1. It was a dark and stormy night, and the kids were glued to my side!

2. She had so many books to take to the sale so I offered to take the books myself.

3. Rushing out, I accidentally left the kids at home.

4. The hair stood up on the back of my neck...I think I heard a howl!

5. Shhhh... did you hear that?

6. Trick or treat, smell my feet give me something good to eat!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to ending my relaxing day off, tomorrow my plans include a soccer game (if it doesn't get rained out) and a little thing we call Trick or Treating and Sunday, I want to enjoy my extra hour!

Just A Quickie

Although the weekend was a little more exciting than what I am posting.....as usual....I am running short on time and need to post a few pictures of Michael for the kid's YMCA Hero Half Marathon before heading out the door for work. Michael ran with a group from his school. Think of it as an unofficial track club for elementary aged children. Well, I realize that excitement does not actual abound in this post but here are the picture anyway. The other young man in the pictures is one of Michael's best friends, Landon. He is a constant comedian!

Holy Cow!

Has anyone seen Superman lately? I am just wondering if he has been flying around the world with the rotation of the earth instead of against it in order to speed up time. Don't get me wrong, I am super duper pleased Friday is here but......HOLY COW......it arrived quick! This weekend is going to be a little crazy therefore I am bracing myself. Michael will be participating in the Kid's Hero Half Marathon TTU tomorrow afternoon. I am so proud that he has taken such an interest in running and I hope it will serve him well. I will post how he does, of course, in a weekend update. Saturday at 11:30 we have a soccer game and hopefully we can relax for the remainder of the weekend once that is over. I still have a boat load of pictures to go through for Cougar Run but I have deleted mucho pictoros and have 302 left to go through. That means half of what I have left need to meet the chopping block! AAARRGGHH! What an arduous task to review over 300 pics to figure out which child has multiple cameos. I don't want to upset any parents! I placed voting ballots in the teacher's boxes for the 4th graders to pick their top three picks for the background music for the picture DVD. I am dying with anticipation as to what music they will pick. I did not give them any options so they have carte blanche! I will share what they pick once everything is tallied....should be interesting.

1. The crickets sing and the bats fly quietly over my house.

2. Take advantage of laughter wherever you are.

3. I want to get far away from the rat race at times.

4. The cures for all childhood diseases had been discovered; this was a dream.

5. But as for me...I will just sit back and watch the show.

6. Where I just was is where I come (came) from.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching Michael participate in the kid's half marathon at TTU, tomorrow my plans include soccer and Sunday, I want to go to my dad's house for their 6th annual Harvest Party.

Warp Speed

Wow, Sunday already....really?......How can that be?
My weekend turned out to be a little different than anticipated. Marshall decided to display his stridor cough first thing Friday morning which warranted a trip to the doctor. Luckily, no strep or flu but he did have an ear infection. I still wanted to have game night since he wasn't acting sick and chose Wii instead of Candyland. We bowled, ate pizza and it was a blast. What I don't understand is how someone in decent shape, i.e. me...can be sore the next day from Wii bolwing. It is quite disturbing and pathetic all rolled up in a tortilla!
On Saturday, Mom came up to visit and I felt it was in Marshall's best interest to forgo any outdoor plans for obvious reasons. We all went to Cracker Barrel to eat breakfast and hung out at the house for the rest of the day. We had another couple over later that evening for a chili chowdown and a few rounds of billiards. Not all too exciting but sometimes that is a good thing.
Sunday morning was a mad dash to get both of the kids and myself ready for church. Mike took the boat out for a while for a much deserved break/fishing trip so it was up to me to get the crew out the door. As usual, the three Bregenzer's slide into church late. Oh well, that tends to be my MO as of late therefore I will embrace it instead of chastise myself for it.
Marshall is currently at the end of his third hour of nap time and I have been able to get some things accomplished. I was able to watch the Vikings game which ended in a nail biter plus a little of the Titan's game. I was also able to compile the 500 pictures from Cougar Run and start pilfering through what to keep and what to delete. There were a couple of pics of me prancing around like some kind of dork so I thought I would include those, a really cute one of Marshall and one of Michael in action. Hopefully I can get this DVD finished this week with the music accompaniment and have that rather large albatross off my back. He keeps pecking at me ear!

Friday Fill Ins

Hello everyone.....it is Friday once again. One of my three assistants has been out this week on vacation so to say I have been busy would be an extreme understatement. I hate it when I actually have to earn my money!! GNO was fun last night even though a couple of girls bailed because of the weather (go figure). Lot of hot topic/political debate with the table being split right down the middle of liberal and conservative. I am so fortunate to have surrounded myself with a group of women who can talk about things (even if we don't always agree) other than breaking a nail or catching up on the latest gossip. Well I guess I should get my little self (ha ha) to work. The sooner I get started, the sooner I get to come home.

1. So are we going to officially stop talking or what?

2. The definite unknown is what's up ahead.

3. I love to do just about anything except get up in the morning.

4. I need to shop and get work clothes of some sort.

5. I walk a fine line of contemplation and contentment.

6. Being able to laugh at yourself and make others laugh is the true elixir of life!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to eating pizza and playing Candyland, tomorrow my plans include going to Muddy Pond or Amazing Acres, I haven't decided yet, and Sunday, I want to work on my Cougar Run DVD. Here I am facing a 2 week deadline and I haven't even started. WTH!

Black Hole Sun

I know this is a strange post but I wanted to show you guys a glimpse into my eldest child's imagination. He took Coke bottle caps and started to make a design. "Look Mom, I made a black hole". Isn't that the coolest?

I Am So Ready

I have absolutely nothing to say but this......I am sooooo excited about my little Girl's Night Out tomorrow. It has been way too long since we have had some down time and what better week to do it then Fall Break. Look out Crawdaddy's, the girls are back in town!

Pumpkin Heads

Just thought I would post a picture of the pumpkin heads which are now perched atop their little wire bodies. Mike drew one picture and Michael drew the other. I think they are hilarious but I guess I am a little partial. My little ghost trio did not turn out the way I was hoping. I could not find a "cloth" drop cloth and the part plastic/part cloth one I had would not drape right over the tomato cages. PLUS, once I had two and half cages strung with lights......half of one strand went out. Forget it! I have too much to do for this time wasting session! See ya!

The House Touch Ups

Bare with me through all the pictures over the next couple of months of the house. I am on a touch up and redecorating frenzy that can no longer be controlled. Last week I conquered the boy's bathroom. I repainted the entire room (including the pooper room...if you know what I mean), took out the plate glass looking mirror thing and replaced it with individual ones, and then used spackle to repair all the trim divots/dents and repainted all of it. Guess what, I repainted the entire bathroom and the trim WITHOUT PAINTER'S TAPE and I must say.....did a darn good job! Again, this is a brief look into my 'everything must be just so' in my home. Well, I want to involve you guys into my craziness and will post pictures of the rooms as I am finished. This type of post will be few and far between as I am working on other projects concurrently and must prioritize. Here are a couple of the boy's freshly painted bathroom.

Friday Fill Ins

My goodness I have a few things I would like to talk about today but I just do not have the time this morning to write. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

1. Sweet dreams are something I did not have last night in my fit of insomnia. I finally fell asleep at 3:30 only to get up at 6:00. I am a little cranky to say the least.

2. Trying to make new friends in a room full of strangers is hard especially for me.

3. Silliness is the best way to get through life's little (and big) speed bumps.

4. I plan on dressing up and going to the zoo again this Halloween.

5. Outstanding or not our Nobel Peace Prize winner has been announced.

6. An extremely long vacation without my children (I know that sounds awful) is what I need right now.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I am looking forward to hangin' with the family, tomorrow my plans include soccer and having to clean my own house...travesty, and Sunday I want to go to church to talk politics (strange, huh) and start on the Cougar Run DVD.

This Is Why I Pay Someone To Do This

As most of you know.....I am a crazy OCD house cleaner. If I were to clean my own home, it would literally take me greater than eight hours every time. This is not due to the size of my home but the fact that I cannot let anything go. It starts off small and snowballs into a frenzy no one could ever understand unless they witnessed it....What is that on the floor? Are those Cheetos fingerprints on the wall? Could the dust on the sills and baseboards be any thicker? What in the world is that muck behind the faucet? Where the hell are the toothpicks? (I clean with them a lot and Q-tips...they can get where other things cannot)
This is my suffering! Well the absolute worst thing that could happen in my life has happened, not really I am just using that statement for a great dramatic lead in.....My housekeeper moved to Florida!!! OYE VEY!!
I am well aware this is not the end of the world but it opens a door and allows my sickness to come in. Seriously! So, today I had a light day at work and was home by twelve. It took me 2 hours to clean three bathrooms and trust me......the toothpicks and Q-tips made their appearance. So did the toothbrush. Hello old friends!
This is why I pay someone to do this. Not only am I paying them for their services......I am paying for my sanity!

4 Days Late

I feel so bad! I was four days late decorating the house for my second favorite holiday. How dare I rob such a thing from my children? Don't worry I have not lost it but I was a little disappointed in myself for getting started on Sunday instead of the first day of the new month. We bought our pumpkins and mums yesterday after church and I was able to spray paint two of them white so we can draw faces and place them on their metal body! It is more ghoulish that way! I will take a picture so that will make more sense. I did control myself this time with the pumpkin buying. I only bought 4. I usually buy 10 but with the recession and all....we had to cut back!
All I have left to do is put together our ghost threesome. I still need to go to Walmart to buy everything (cloth drop cloth and rope lights) to make our ghostly trio! It is an extremely easy way to decorate for the season. Take metal tomato cages, turn them upside down, wrap white lights around the cage, cut a drop cloth to drape them, and draw on a face! How simple and the kids will love it! I think our ghosts are going to be playing ring around the birchie (rosies) but connected by a makeshift chain since they cant hold hands.....they don't have any! Of course I will post some pictures if it when I am finished and you all will look at them and LIKE IT!

Friday Fill Ins

Once again, Friday has finally rolled into town. I have been looking forward to the visit. One of my 56 year old patients succumbed to her cancer this week and it has been a bitter pill to swallow. Also, the wife of a good friend of mine found out the aneurysm in her brain was bigger than expected and is located at a 'fork' in the artery. This makes it extremely dangerous to repair and they will have to perform a craniotomy in an attempt to fix it. She is only 34 with three boys under 11. Please pray for her. Man I am so glad this week is over. Well, here we go with Fill Ins and I am off to work.

1. I have a history of loving to talk but being a great confidant.

2. How many bugs I have consumed in my life is something I wish I knew.

3. I'm eating (or recently ate) beer can chicken off the grill last night.

4. I have fits of rage on the road.

5. So that's it, that's said and done.

6. A little bit of something is better than nothing!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to painting the boy's bathroom, tomorrow my plans include soccer games and visiting with my mom and Sunday, I want to watch my boys sing at church....eat BBQ at the choir club fundraiser and then meet some college buddies at Cool Springs to do a little eating and a little shopping.

When Otters Attack Or Protect, I Can't Decide!

Mike and I have this thing about trying to catch our children in strange situations while they sleep. We love to get a good laugh at their expense....is that wrong? We peeked in on Michael before going to bed the other night and found that 'Otterie' (his name) had assumed the guard position to protect Michael from the night. Either to protect or poised for attack if Michael moved the wrong way, we could not decide. We got a huge laugh out of it and thankfully Michael did not wake up with the parade of lights and laughs that transpired while getting the picture. Have a great Monday.

Friday Fill Ins

Another week has come and gone and I am still around to talk about it. That is always a good sign but then that is probably a matter of opinion. This week flew by and I cannot believe it is time for Friday Fill Ins again. WOW.....I must say is has been a strange week due to work related things... people getting stuck in chairs overnight, having to break in doors....you know....the typical home health stuff! Friday, I long for your embrace with open arms..............

1. One week ago I was standing in my kitchen doing this exact same thing and getting ready so see the exact same patient.

2. I always wanted to grow up when I was young.

3. Mama told me to buckle down when I was little because I wasn't focusing at whatever task was at hand. I HATED when she told me that.

4. It is kismet, you and me.

5. Take your time you may actually do it right and complete the job next time.

6. Time will pass!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to grilling filet and shrimp on the grill, tomorrow my plans include soccer games and Sunday, I want to finish my book.

Fruit Stack

I just wanted to share a funny picture Mike took yesterday. Thankfully, our children love fruit. So for a snack Michael ate a mix of bananas, strawberries and blueberries. Although the comedic part of this will be lost because I am having to bring up the "had to be there" clause BUT I am hoping this picture will cajole even a small grin. Michael stuck his fork in the bowl and this is what he had impaled.............................Smiley!!

A Got Another Award and Various Other Ramblings

WOOOO HOOOO, my cyber friend Crystal (that is actually her real name and she is a friend of one of my oldest friend and lives in Phoenix, not a nameless stalker!) gave me an award for my blog. Although the 'Blog Awards' are just for fun, it is still pretty cool to get the notoriety. So here is is:
I am sorry I have not blogged in a few days. I know it is hard to believe but my life is not so exciting that I have the material to blog often. No Way! I know, I know try to get your composure back.

• Saturday was birthday party day. Thankfully, one was for kids and one was for adults. The bowling party for the kids was fun for the kids! Me, on the other hand was highly over stimulated. I was wondering toward the end if it would be inappropriate of me to get a beer from the bar. Don't worry I restrained. The evening party was a double. One spouse was turning 38 and the other 40. Since Mike and I could not find a babysitter to acquiesce our request, he was gracious enough to let me go with one of my girlfriends. Well, my friend Michelle and I thought.....two girls could not possibly get together without doing some sort of shopping. That would cause some horrible misalignment in the cosmos....planets would juxtapose.....UTTER CHAOS! Ok, I am finished. We hit up TJ Maxx. One outfit and a fabulously red coat for me and two wonderful coats for her later......we were off to the party. Since my fabulous red coat was light and more of a nippy evening type of garb, I decided it was totally appropriate to wear it into the party. Quite stunning if I do so myself with a black shirt, jeans and 2.5" black heels. Hey, what can I say. If you cannot give compliments to yourself than you will not be able to accept them from people.....or something like that. The party was great and Brad and Michelle's place is awesome. It is so SoHo Loftish in a VERY trendy way and much bigger. I guess that's what comes with being married to an artist. They just think more creatively than normal folk. Please visit his website and look at some of his work. It is truly amazing. Especially since he does it with a chainsaw. www.bradsells.com.

Well I had a lot more to write but alas I am out of time. Don't cry!!! Off to work I go.

Friday Fill Ins

Who's laughing now? I have been building this huge boat in my backyard for weeks and everyone thought I was crazy. Seeing as the entrance to my neighborhood was blocked by water on Wednesday, honing my boat building skills doesn't seem so crazy after all! Obviously I am teasing about the boat but not about the entrance being blocked. If you don't live around here and read my blog maybe I should mention that Cookeville has received 6" of rain (according to the "weather guy" whose weather station is to the upper right hand corner of the screen you are currently reading). This 'weather event' actually shut schools down an hour early on Wednesday. Michael was so disappointed that he was not able to work out his cerebellar muscles for one more hour (ha ha). Currently, the roads are basically dry but I am sure that won't last long.
Well, I only have a half day today.....yippppeee. I guess I better not get used to it, next week looks pretty busy and this girl will actually have to work a full 5 days! BOOOOOOOO!
Here we go>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

1. My car, my car. Let me count the ways.

2. A friend's birthday party is coming up next.

3. Lately, things seem a little chaotic and busy but I think I am handling it OK.

4. A bubble bath is one of my favorite 'hiding' places.

5. What happened, happened and that is that!

6. Having a clean house is not impossible!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to absolutely nothing, tomorrow my plans include a bowling party for a friend of Michaels and that evening going to a grown up birthday party for Michelle and Brad Sells (Brad is a wood artist and has a piece in the Smithsonian even! Look up his work at www.bradsells.com) and Sunday, I want to start writing my to do list for what I want done in the house before my company Christmas Party! YES, I am a fanatic and I offer no apologies.

A Glimpse Into The Secret Life Of Marshall

Short story, Yes I am am capable!
Mike took the boat out Saturday to a launch ramp he had not used in a while. He forgot it was a pay ramp and had no cash so he put a note in the envelope that he would be back on Monday. In an ode to the honor system, Mike was true to his word and drove back out to the ramp with Marshall in tow in order to pay the ramp fee from Saturday. After he performed his duty, he asked Marshall if he wanted to throw rocks in the lake for a while......duh.....what kind of question was that? The following pictures are a chronicle of Marshall's descension into the water. Would one expect anything less. The next picture is of a little gift he left for us in the dishwasher. He even shut the little door and everything to make it a true surprise! Last picture is a true demonstration of the comedy of the Little Guy.

Weekend Update

• Alas, my last Cougar Run for a couple of years has come and gone! It is bittersweet to watch Michael grow up but...that is what kids do. I stood on the pavement in the middle of the makeshift running track from 8:30 until 1:00 taking pics of all the kids. It is amazing the energy and excitement of these little guys.This is a really big deal at Capshaw and the kids are always ready to give it their all. One hundred and Seventy Five pictures later, I was able to come home and rest. That was short lived, though. I started to feel guilty for not doing any real physical activity all day so I journeyed upstairs and did yoga for 90 minutes. After freshening up.....it was time for Fall Fest.

• We made it to Fall Fest around 6ish. The sun was settling down and the crowd was picking up. We purchased our way overpriced tickets/bracelets for the boys and off we went to jumpy thing and rock climbing wall bliss! After an hour or so the kids were getting hungry and we decided to get barbecue. That is another element at Fall Fest, the cook off. People from all over are selling their pork sandwiches, ribs and the like. We get to reap the benefit. YUMMY! So here we all are sitting under the 'eating tent' when I get a hint of a familiar smell. No, it wasn't Marshall pooing! It was the smell of rain on hot pavement....you know that unmistakable scent. The skies opened up and the rain fell. That was the end of our Fall Fest fun. Mike ran to get the truck and got it as close to where we were and we sprinted in the rain. Refreshing!
• Saturday was less eventful. The kids and I went to IHOP with my mom to chow on some breakfast. From there we all participated in the Memory Walk to benefit Alzheimer's research. It was a nice day for a walk around TTU campus but I was glad to be back home. I felt as if I had ran all over town for the past two days.
• Oh, and let us not forget about today. Both the kids were singing at the early service so everyone had to be at church by 8 a.m. Michael was also the liturgist for the service. They are the opener, if you will, and call everyone to worship. It is a very big deal and there is a lot to read. He did not even flinch! He carried it off like he had been public speaking for years. I was so proud of him. I asked him afterward if he was nervous and he said not one bit. I then asked if his calm nerves were due to the lectern blocking most of his view from the congregation (except the balcony). He said yes! I guess that is better than visualizing everyone in their underwear! One last thing, we all got to see Marshall pick his nose at the end of his song. Once again....I could not be a more proud parent! Pick a winner, son.
  

Here is a picture prior to church. How sweet are my boys?

Friday Fill Ins

Well today is the big day....Cougar Run at Michael's school. I need to arm myself with canisters of caffeine to last throughout the entire day of taking pictures. I am already tired and I have not even started! Even in hard times, I hope we raise lots and lots of money.



1. I feel excited about the going ons (sic) happening today!

2. Being a total and complete goober is always fun.

3. Right now, I can hear these things: Mike putting up dishes and Michael eating!

4. I try to remember my blessings and I'm glad I am reminded at times.

5. The last time I went on an extreme shopping spree was months ago.

6. My life was extremely uneventful this Labor day weekend.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to the annual Fall Fest on the Cookeville square, tomorrow my plans include participating in a Memory walk at TTU (if I remember) and Sunday, I want to watch my boys sing before church and Michael speaking in front of the entire congregation!

Happy Labor Day

Good morning all! Well, I guess that should be 'good day' to cover any time period of someone reading this. Wasn't Memorial Day last week? Seriously, I just blinked three times and here we are at the unofficial but official end of summer. This day is bittersweet for me. On one hand I am sad because I LOVE SUMMER...swimming, boating, gardening, soaking up the sun (even though I wear 50 spf and have a spray tan). I also LOVE FALL...the annual Cookeville Fall Fest which has all kinds of fun things for the kids, crafts, awesome food (this may be an argument for some) and great bands, smell of campfires, leaves changing colors, the morning air is crisp and you feel like you can inhale it to the bottome lobes of your lungs, and blue jeans. Yes, I know that last one is a little strange but I love cuddling up with my man outside by a fire with blue jeans! I know, too much information. Alas, it has all come to an end! The pools officially close after today, well most of them and it is time to get into soccer and football.
I have a few people to see today for home health.....I love my job but this is the time where I shrug my shoulders and say "People don't take a holiday from being sick although they would if given the chance." After that, I don't know if we are taking the boat out or going swimming. I guess it all depends on the weather.
I hope everyone has a fabulous Labor Day, don't work too hard, and be mindful of how much adult beverage you may be imbibing throughout the day. I don't want any accidents today with my friends.

Friday Fill Ins

1. I feel overwhelmed by life.....only if I let it get the best of me.

2. Anything in the vicinity of sand, the ocean and palm trees is always fun.

3. Right now, I can hear these things: Mike putting silverware in the tray, coffee brewing, and little birdies chirping outside (windows have been open for 5 days thanks to the beautiful weather)

4. Some things happen for a reason and I'm glad we usually end up learning what that reason is.

5. The last time I made someone laugh was yesterday.

6. I am so looking forward to this Labor day weekend and spending time with my men.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to having some grilled salmon and enjoying the rest of my 3/4 day of from work, tomorrow my plans include spending time with my mom and Sunday, I want to take the boat out and spend the last precious moments of the summer basking in the sun!