Yet another reason not to vote for Hillary:

This Christmas...

This Christmas...


1. Which was your favorite gift? Starbucks solo coffee maker.


2.Which gift are you most tempted to re-gift? I already gave it back - LOL - I think it was a mix-up because it was a man's dress shirt that I got from the Dr I transcribe for. I returned it, telling the girl in the office that I thought maybe my card was taped to this by mistake. Or the Dr has bad taste. Or I need to wear more make-up.


3. Which gift most surprised you? The saw my husband got me for my new toolbox! Does he really think I want to saw stuff? That's what his big muscles are for!


4. Did you have a White Christmas? Nope - never.


5. Is your tree still up? It's stripped - I just need to wrestle it outside and to the curb. Maybe...tomorrow.


6. Who was the hardest person to shop for on your list? What did you end up giving them? My oldest daughter. She got a pair of requested tennis shoes and a gym membership. That, and the Australian crackers "Shapes" completed her list.


7. Did you travel out of your state or your country on Christmas Day? Nope.


8. Did you celebrate Boxing Day? If you count taking down and putting away all the Christmas decorations celebrating, SURE!


9. Did you eat any fudge? Was it homemade? No - but that reminds me that our friends sent some over and it's still wrapped up. AND there was mention of it being peanut butter - my favorite.


10. Did you do anything out of the ordinary; break with any traditions? Usually on Christmas Eve we go look at Christmas lights, go to church, have soup for dinner, and watch "It's a Wonderful Life" or "The Christmas Story." This year we had pizza, at hubby's request.

Merry Christmas

Luke 2
1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
21And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

NOW we're ready

It's every teenage girl's worst nightmare. For us, that means times four. Yes, we are parents who insist that their kids must have their picture taken with Santa. This buys them room and board for the next year. (Although a lady in line asked if she could be in the picture and come live for free, too.) So here we are at Manchester Mall - where I might add the REAL SANTA can be found during the month of December. (The other months, this REAL SANTA can be found at Caltrans!) His face is shaded because I have a big, fat head, but he really is a good Santa. DD#3 wants me to point out that she's really not fat, it's just the way her [pink] shirt lies. I would like to point out that I'm really a size 4 - I just photograph large. :o) And hubby - well, yes, he meant to look like that. And DD#4 was getting a headache (this is a long-standing theme). DD#1 and DD#2 were just glad to be at the photo point so that dinner could come next. Besides, this beats the days where the kids were screaming with fear of Santa. But there was no bleed and no vomit, so I deemed it was a good picture. NOW Santa can come.

Merry Christmas!
Cheryl

Jessica Simpson, just go away

Jessica Simpson, should you happen across my blog (LOL), please stay away fromTony. We don't want you messing up our game. Again. If you won't stay away, at least stay away from Texas Stadium on Sundays, fair? I understand Tony's a cutie (believe me, I DO understand this) and until Sunday's game he was the best NFL quarterback. Let him have that back.

Go away.

Public Service Announcement for single women

I learned something that may be valuable (to some) yesterday morning at the grocery store. Early Sunday morning is when the single men shop. Tis true. It seemed like a glorious time for me to do a "big" shop; but it was me, the box boys, and more than enough single men wandering around the store. Now these aren't the hot eligible bachelors a single woman may dream of. These are the middle aged divorcees who are there to buy breakfast ingredients because they forgot they had the kids for the weekend. "Meat market" does not describe the Sunday morning market, that's for sure. As I glanced at the singles, I chuckled (mostly to myself!) and thought how grateful I am to NOT be in the "meat market" game. Oh how nice to drive home to a husband who then helped unload and put away groceries! I wouldn't trade that for a store FULL of single men!

Be blessed,
Cheryl

19 years ago today...

...I gave birth to my firstborn daughter. 19 years?!! Some moments it really seems like we just brought her home from the hospital...other times it's hard to remember all the funny things she said and did as a little one. We really need to slow down and treasure every moment.

Happy Birthday, DD#1! We are proud of the young lady you are and continue to be. May God bless you all the days of your life!

What's 62 years old and contains neroli?

Give up? (And really, what IS neroli?) White Shoulders perfume!

WHITE SHOULDERS perfume by EVYAN was launched in 1945. This fine fragrance contains neroli, tuberose, gardenia and is accented with jasmine, orris and musk. WHITE SHOULDERS is recommended for formal use.

I can still recall the first time I was aware of this scent. I was perhaps 4 years old, with my head in my mother's lap at Preston Road Church of Christ in Dallas, playing with her gold charm bracelet, and listening to her sing "I come to the garden alone..." (of course, without the instruments LOL). She not only sounded like an angel, but her scent was haunting to me. It was sweet, but not like the old ladies who wear rose perfume. It was light, but noticeable. THIS was what moms should smell like.

I received my first bottle at 19 years old. To this day, it is my perfume of choice, though I have dabbled with Jessica McClintock, Paris by YSL, and the Liz Claiborne fragrances, but I always go back to White Shoulders. As I spritzed it on this morning (commitment to loveliness - perfume is lovely!), I thought of my mom and how so many years have passed since those days in the pew. She is still the best mom, leavingthe bar so high for motherhood that if only wearing "her" perfume counted for mommy points. I am blessed to still have my mother around, even if she is 1200 miles away. I shall have a lifetime of memories, but her angelic voice singing praises to God and the scent of White Shoulders will forever be among the best.

Blessings,
Cheryl

Have you ever seen the rain?

As I type this, I think of Rod Stewart's rendition of CCR's song of the same title.

Is it raining here? Not so much in the way you might first think...but yes, it is raining.

And it's raining hard.

Why is it that it seems you go about your days rain-free for so long, but then that little black raincloud bursts and shows no signs of going away. I attribute the rain to SATAN trying to destroy all the lovely sunshine we enjoyed. I refuse to allow him to take hold of my family. We belong to God Almighty!!

In the name of the Lord, I REBUKE YOU, SATAN!

Cruise - December 2 - 9, 2007

View looking down in the Centrum. Hmm - no wonder I feel dizzy. The ship, Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas, was decorated so beautifully for Christmas -garland and Christmas trees everywhere. While on board, Hanukkah began and there were menorahs lit up all around, in addition to Hanukkah services daily.

Now, keeping in mind that I lost 23 pounds prior to the cruise, I would really feel sorry for this poor horse, "Raton," had I NOT lost that much. LOL I'm convinced I'm not really as fat as I look here, or that my bra strap really isn't hanging out of my shirt. But who am I kiddin'? This is the story of my life. Seriously, this horse was like 9' tall and I was fairly close to petrified. Here it just looks like a fat lady riding a burro. Maybe my camera is broken? :o) Anyway, horseback riding on the beaches of Cabo San Lucas is amazing.

Seeing as how we left on my 43rd birthday (I mean 29th!), our cabin steward, Arturo, made me a birthday towel bunny on the first night. He says that usually they don't do animals on the first night. Maybe he was vying for a bigger tip? Arturo was absolutely the BEST! On our last night on the ship when I succumbed to seasickness (aye aye aye), he came in and visited, asking if he could do anything. I miss those twice-daily room cleaning and turn down service with chocolate mints on the pillow. Sigh. It was a good week. :o)

Does it get any better than THIS? Sunset from the ship - somewhere between Los Angeles and Cabo San Lucas.

Too much to write, but I highly recommend this cruise - the ship was very nice and the service was impeccable. The shows were pretty good, but since I have nothing to compare them to, I have no complaints. Besides, who can complain when waiters put your napkin in your lap each night, cut your steak, and remove your lobster tails...THEN bring you chocolate after that!

Blessings,

Cheryl

Am I lovely yet? Not yet...

Well, it's Saturday night and I leave town early tomorrow for a *cruise,* so I wanted to post a follow-up about my commitment to loveliness. I'm afraid it was harder than it sounded, friends!

1) Moisturize my skin daily. Done. Now - how much longer til the wrinkles start to go away?!
2) Drink more water. Not so great. Truth be told, I don't enjoy drinking water...but I did try for one glass a day (this is in addition to coffee and tea).
3) Give the house an extra good cleaning before I leave town Sunday. This one really didn't get done. At all. I had plenty of work and some other things come up, so I wasn't twiddling my thumbs, but...
4) Extend peace and love to my family. Done. I wanted to be able to leave town without any guilt. :) Hubby did comment that the refrigerator looked bare...and it does. This is also a good time for him to see a little of what I do. You know, when I'm not twiddling my thumbs.
5) Get a manicure. Another selfish thing, but done! AND I feel like my hands are pretty. I even added a hair cut and a new pair of jeans to this.

Next week's loveliness list is going to be a little less self-serving.

I am packed, but can't figure out the purse thing. Anyone who knows me well knows that I love purses. BUT none of them seem quite right for the cruise. I'm thinking that it's 10:30 and I have 9.5 hours til we leave and I DO have time to shop...but...nah.

And now I need to forget the purse issue and go to sleep. I am excited and nervous all rolled up into one! My bag is stocked with Dramamine and the like, enough clothes to be gone about 3 weeks, and a camera with an empty memory card.

Blessings to you all. I will try to bring home some warm sunshine from Mexico. :o)

Cheryl

Too busy?

A couple of dear friends of mine sell Avon and I love their products. Having recently just stocked up on a bunch of goodies, I was browsing through the newest catalog, bending corners of pages and mentally preparing an order (the BEST way to fill stockings for teenage girls!). As I flipped from page 22 to page 21 (I’m a leftie - it's just what we do), I came across this jewel of an item.

Self Stirring Travel Mug
Mix things up with your favorite warm beverage without the need of a spoon or stirring stick. Just add cream or sugar to coffee or tea and press button. Perfect for the busy traveler. Includes lid. Hand wash. Takes 2 AA batteries (not included). Only $12.99 each.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not dissing the product or Avon. The reason I even glanced at the page was because it’s red and the mug pictured in the center is red. Anyone who knows me even a little knows that red is my favorite color, so I’m more likely to look at a red page than, say, a green or orange page. But here’s my query. How long does it take to stir your coffee? I put my cream on the bottom, so when I pour my coffee, most of the mixing is done instantly. BUT the times I do feel I need to stir, I’m guessing it takes about 8 seconds max. Now, calculating the time it would take me to find 2 AA batteries (and finding 2 AA batteries in itself is a chore, as those are the first to disappear from the battery holder), then the additional time it would take me to find 2 AA batteries THAT AREN’T DEAD, I’m guessing I could have stirred enough coffee to last me through winter. I wonder how long one set of batteries is going to last but that’s for another day. Next we’ll tackle the “hand wash” feature. OK, our dishes are done by DD#2 who is 16. Wonder if she’s going to remember that this has to be hand washed? Hmm. It’s doubtful. Even taking into account the fact that I could (and would) wash it myself, it still must be hand washed. Assuming I’ve already finished my coffee (ahem CAFFEINE), I’m estimating the time it would take to hand wash this product to be about 60 seconds. 60 seconds vs the 5 seconds it would take to put a mug in the dishwasher. I think I’m too busy to own this mug. If YOU, however, think you need one, please contact me and I will put you in touch with one of my amazing Avon ladies!

And now I’m a little tired just reading this and pondering something so deep this early in the morning. I haven’t even made my coffee and now I think I’m going to skip it. As it is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, it is officially the day to DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS! DD#2 is the official “change out regular dishes for Christmas dishes” girl and there is nothing better than the first mug of anything hot when it’s in my Christmas dishes. I’m inclined to even have soup in these just because it tastes better.

And I get to say “MERRY CHRISTMAS” for a whole month!

Be blessed,
Cheryl

Thanksgiving

As I dropped a C note at the grocery store this morning, I couldn't help but wonder what other people think about as they shop for Thanksgiving. For me, I am not one who looks forward to grocery shopping. Well, anyone who knows me well knows that I don't look forward to ANY kind of shopping. Once I'm in the grocery store, my imagination gets going and meals just unfold as my shopping cart fills up. Somehow, as a result of today's shopping expedition, we are now having 4 pies for Thanksgiving. FOUR - yes, for a family of 6. And since I am dieting, that really means 4 pies for 5.5 people, as I will limit myself to a half piece. Maybe. Probably not. I'll probably eat the whole piece because it's the BEST STINKIN' PIE IN THE WHOLE WORLD! This was my maternal grandmother's recipe. As a child, I couldn't figure out why my mom loved something called "Buttermilk pie." What's WRONG with that? It just doesn't even sound good. Around high school or so, I finally tasted a bite. It was like eating heaven! No WONDER my mom never insisted I taste it - she then would have had to share with me! Anyway, I digress.

Thanksgiving really DOES make me realize how many blessings I have. I have a family that loves me, children who love Jesus, a roof over my head, a pantry full of nourishing food, vehicles that run, freedom, friends who love me - in spite of my flaws, health, the ability to stay home and care for my family, the list just goes on. God is good - each of these blessings is from Him and daily I thank Him for being so good to me. I hope each of you feels thankful - even if your life has thorns, look carefully for the rosebuds that are there.

And now I must go find room in the fridge to put an 18 pound turkey. 18 pounds? Who will have room for pie???

Blessings,
Cheryl

Playing catch-up

While I feel like I've been living at my computer for the last couple of weeks, blogging seems to have gone by the wayside. As I sat here and pondered really WHAT all I have done, it boiled down to: work, attend an amazing birth, more work, play nurse to DD#2 after having all 4 wisdom teeth out, and a little more work.

It disturbs me that I'm a "stay at home mom" on paper, but work a couple of jobs, enough to seemingly take over my life lately. I am blessed to be able to be home for my family and take care of the things that are necessary to run a household and I really need to evaluate how much work is too much. It is easy to get sucked into a project with the promise of a paycheck.

Way more exciting than work is the birth I attended. OK, ALL births are amazing - they are all a witness of God's power and proof that miracles happen daily. This mom, "C," was great. She had an epidural (which is THE way to have a baby) and felt nothing. She wanted to watch TV, so for 3 hours we chatted and watched TV. After a small grimace and the feeling of a little pressure, the nurse checked her and told her she was at a 10 but not to push because they had to call the doctor back. 30 minutes later, baby "B" made his appearance. I still think about how they are doing and wish there was a way to follow-up with the moms and stay in touch. My job is to plant seeds and trust that God will put others in their lives later on.

Then there's DD#2. This poor kid. She has taken pride in the fact that she has not thrown up in 8 years. No kidding. Well, in a short lapse of judgment, I administered her pain pill yesterday right after surgery. All seemed well for almost 3 hours. I thought that maybe she would be fine. WRONG. The following 5-6 hours were spent in the bathroom. She was devastated that she had broken her record. It is so hard to see your own child suffer. Fortunately, today she is much better, albeit a little lopsided due to some uneven swelling, but she is eating, back on the internet, and living on Jamba Juice, so all is well.

And now, predictably, it is time to get back to work.

Be blessed.

The best meal yet...

After driving for 10 hours from AZ, hubby and I walked into the house yesterday to the smell of dinner cooking. Actually it was already cooked and was warming in the oven. Here I was expecting to arrive home to frozen chicken that I would have worked some weary magic on, but instead, four smiling daughters greeted us with a four course meal:

• South of the border chicken (a yummy Spanish-style chicken & rice dish)
• Ranch beans
• Italian pasta salad
• Canned peaches

The love that went into it more than makes up for the unusual pairings (we don't often have Mexican-Italian-BBQ combined!) and it was simply delicious...not to mention being able to skip the whole "I gotta cook dinner" part!

Thanks girls - y'all ROCK!!!

*More about the trip once I can upload pictures from the triathlon!*

Cowardly. Mean. Brazen.

My title indicates just a few of the words that I have for the cowardly, mean, brazen THIEVES who came into our backyard and stole DD#3 & DD#4's bicycles within the last two weeks.

I wonder who these cowards are. I'm guessing kids, as few adults have need for 24" bikes.

I wonder if they know that DD#3 saved her own money and bought this particular bicycle herself. She was so proud of it.

I wonder if they had a more desperate need for these bikes than my daughters did.

I wonder if they were sleepless those first few nights. I hope so. I hope it's still on their minds.

I wonder if they realized the bikes were valued under $100 each. They left another, more expensive bike behind with a flat.

I don't hate much. But I hate the act of theft. A lot.

Meanwhile, I will pray for them. I pray the guilt weighs on their minds and they return the bikes. An apology would be nice, too, but having the bikes back would be even better.

Oh come on...

Because I have nothing else to blog on and really just need to get busy with my new project, this will have to suffice:

I have to say I generally pay little attention to Entertainment 'news' (and note that I use the term 'news' VERY loosely) but a blip on the news this morning commented that Britney Spears had lost visitation rights to her boys. But wait, there's more. What caught my eye was that she ran over the foot of a photographer. For once, I have to say I'm on Britney's side Come on - aren't we all taught at a very young age that, guns aside, a vehicle is the most dangerous thing out there and it we should never approach a moving vehicle? Um, HELLOOOOO? She's driving (and we know she's not famous for her superb driving skills!) and you're in her way. Get out of the street if you don't want to be run over!!!

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Britney Spears is having a bad week. A day after she lost visitation rights to her two young sons, the pop star drove over the foot of a paparazzo on Thursday night while trying to navigate past the hordes of photographers who document her every move.

Spears was exiting a Beverly Hills parking garage in her white Mercedes convertible as flash bulbs popped. Video footage showed an unidentified photographer in a flak jacket falling to the ground as the car apparently rolled over his foot but he quickly got up. Spears appeared to start crying, according to photographers on the scene, but drove off as they ran after her.

Sheesh. Leave the girl alone.

On that, it's time to make some coffee and get to work!

Sunday, Sunday

What a great day!!! Hubby had a meeting in the Bay Area, so DD#2 and I tagged along, having him drop us off at a BART station so we could ride into the city. (Now, hubby HATES the BART and he was convinced we wouldn't make our way back to our designated meeting station later that day.) Who knew kicking around San Francisco for only a few hours could be so much fun?! Driving 3 hours to have lunch here and do some shopping was absolutely worth it! DD#2 happened to be the only daughter with nothing else going on today...thus her luck in being my shopping buddy. She scored well - got a very cool James Dean shirt at the diner, then found an amazing purse at Forever 21. For me? Well, somehow my menu collection grew today. Nuff said. :o)

BART passes, $20
Lunch, $25
T-shirt and amazing handbag, $55

A day in the city with one of my four awesome daughters? Priceless.

How 'bout them Cowboys???

Well, I'm not saying they deserved to win after that cutie-pie Romo overthrew so many passes, but....THE COWBOYS ARE STILL UNDEFEATED!!! Sorry, Bills. LOL Not really. :o)

Sunday

DDs 3 & 4 were baptized on the church's front lawn on Sunday. I am SO proud of you girls! :o)))

4 Things about me you may not have known

Got this via email and decided to put it here. I'm not sure I have 4 readers, but if so, I'm tagging you to post this on your blogs!

4 Things about me you may not have known

A) FOUR jobs I have had in my life
church secretary, Chuck E. Cheese salad bar chef, amusement park cashier, private investigator's transcriptionist

B) FOUR places I have lived:
Dallas, Texas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Clovis, California

C) FOUR TV SHOWS I LIKE TO WATCH
CSI; Good Morning America; Survivor (yeah, I know); Gray's Anatomy

D) FOUR Places I've Been on Vacation:
Hawaii; various California spots; hmm. I need a vacation. WAIT - I'm going on a Mexican cruise for my birthday!

E) FOUR OF MY FAVORITE FOODS:
Mexican food; lobster; filet mignon; Italian food

F) FOUR PLACES I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
Beach; couch; restaurant (LOL); really anywhere that doesn't have me at my computer WORKING like I've done all day.

G) Four places I like to shop (only 4!)
Amazon, Ebay, Target, Walmart (I'm an all-in-one shopper!)

H) Four all time favorite movies
Young Frankenstein
Dr. Zhivago
Sound of Music
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
**We just rented "The Ultimate Gift" and I have to give this two thumbs up - it is an amazing family movie with an important life lesson. I can't recommend it enough!

Random shots of the last week...

OK, I don't know who the growling girl is on the left (LOL), but found this pic on the camera after DD#2 borrowed it. This is #2 and her friends before a football game. Yes, the bright red lipstick is mandatory.

Hubby blowing out candles on his favorite - Texas Sheet Cake* - on his birthday 9/11 (yes, 9/11). Decided 3 candles would suffice. Our smoke detector is very sensitive. (*Recipe will be posted this week.)

Hubby & DD#3 before a local race. #3 placed 2nd in her age group!

Tahlequah, OK pix

http://picasaweb.google.com/ciklone/CherokeeNationalHolidayWeekend/photo#s5106783974811105970

It's a trend

After our 'rain' over the weekend that broke our 114 day drought, we woke up to even MORE rain this morning. Well, no need for an umbrella, but there is lightning and thunder and even some raindrops. It's almost 8am and 90 degrees with 41% humidity. Weird.

Hubby heads to Tahlequah today with DD#3 & DD#4 for the Cherokee National Holiday and to see family. Looks like their weather is actually going to be better than OURS. Now that's something new - OK with better weather than CA! LOL I'm sending the camera and hoping they have the good sense to TAKE PICTURES. There will be a pow wow, a race (Hubby & DD#3), and a time to connect with Hubby's parents, brother & family, his last remaining grandfather, aunts/uncles/cousins, etc.

Guess I'll just spend my weekend shopping and eating out with DD#1 & DD#2. Drats. Sure wish I could go. LOL

Drip drip drop

When my husband woke me up around 1:30 this morning to tell me it was raining, my first thought (hey - I was sleeping) was the song from Bambi, "Drip drip drop little April shower..." (Don't ask. I have GOT to stop eating venison. Just kidding. I had chicken for dinner.) Anyway, yes, I said RAIN - that wet, drippy stuff from the sky! Granted it only lasted about a minute, according to hubby who must have stayed awake listening, but still, that was the first rain we've had since April. It's disheartening to see the news where so much of the East and South is being flooded out and California is brown and crispy.

Still...we got rain. Let's rejoice and thank God for every drop!

A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

Firsts...

We collectively held our breaths, as we waited for the first breath. We? The woman I was with today for the birth of her daughter. It didn't take long, but as we listened to the doctors suction her mouth and nose, we waited, and were elated with the first squeaks that only a newborn can make. This may sound strange, but at 42 years old, I have never been to a birth, aside from the births of my own children. Today's birth changed that for me, as I was doula to my first birth. Being a Cesarean section, there was little for me to do except reassure the mama and wipe her tears. Ten fingers, ten toes, and an absolutely beautiful round head, little "E" was born and I will probably never forget it.

The sound of silence

I can't understand why my girls aren't still excited about my "1st day of school" pictures. This is an annual event - not torture I put them through every day or even every week.

Here are DD#3 and DD#4, bearing with me, though DD#3's smile tells it all. Lest you think I am also torturing them and making them dress alike, the t-shirts were required for them to wear as WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) leaders - 7th graders were to easily be able to pick out 8th grade leaders in case they needed help.

DD#2's picture ... well ... she was still about 45 minutes away from being ready, but I was rushed. Maybe I will try again tomorrow when she's actually done hair and make-up! Likewise with the t-shirt, upperclassmen leaders were to go early and do cheers to welcome kids back to school. She said everyone just looked at them like they were crazy. Isn't that what school spirit is all about, anyway?

So now everyone's back in school and seemingly off to a good start. (Hey - the weather's on - it's only going to be 98 on Thursday on Friday. A cold spell!)

So...kids are in school...what do each of you do with your days? I spent my first day running some errands, watching a movie, crocheting, and working. Tomorrow will be more productive. In all fairness, I'm crocheting a baby blanket for a girl in the office I transcribe for and I want to finish it this week, so it was practically like work. ;o)

One last pic for the road - DD#2 finally got her full cheer uniform. Funny - it doesn't look like it cost as much as we paid. Hmm....

Marlyssa's "First day of school" picture from Monday. Yes, I torture my kids with that annually - even for college! :o) First day went well - she has much more confidance than last year, and was thrilled to find that she has one or more friends in each of her classes. She is taking 13 hours and continuing to work around 25-30 hours a week, so she'll be plenty busy. We are grateful that tuition is so low at our community college...books cost two-thirds more than a semester's tuition. Yikes! :o)

Be blessed.

One more week

How is it that there is only one more week of summer vacation left for my kids? Actually, DD#1 starts tomorrow, so her vacation is already over.

What happened to all of our summer plans?

...the cooking class I was going to teach DD#2 and her friend?

...the eCYBERMISSION projects we were going to get started on?

...the weekly swim date with friends?

...the zoo?

...a train ride to Hanford?

While we did have some good times, somehow this summer seems to have flown by faster than ever before.

If I was a mom that counted the days til the kids went back to school, perhaps I would feel happy that we're down to the last week.

Instead, we will try and pack as much fun in as we can, because by this time next week, they will be putting new pens and pencils in their backpacks and making PB&J sandwiches.

Enjoy every minute - the pages are flipping faster than I can quite keep up.

Vacation

Can't keep the girls away from the pirates in Monterey. This one was particularly popular with the girls. :o)

JAIL - precisely where these girls will end up if they keep hanging around pirates!

Photo op at the Mid-State Fair in Paso Robles.

DD#2 showing DD#3 how to properly pose for a picture.
DD#3 looks so sincere in her posing efforts...NOT!


Ice cream stop in Cambria. Can't have vacation without ice cream!

Elephant seals near San Simeon.

Distant picture of the lighthouse Hubby was dying to see - but it was closed for reconstruction.

Last sunset of vacation.

Missing anatomy

OK, I am trying to buy a new vehicle. Well, new to me, not "NEW" new. But...it seems that I lack a certain piece of male anatomy that causes car salespeople to even think that "The little missus" might be capable of even LOOKING at a car or TALKING about prices.

I'm considering calling Lorena Bobbitt and asking if she has any male anatomy parts that I could just take with me while I shop. I can pull it out of my purse, show it to the salespeople so they will know that I, indeed, am trying to buy a vehicle.

Today's attempt actually came in Clovis where 4-5 salesMEN were snacking and standing in the shade while I spent 10 minutes wandering around, peeking in the [locked] vehicles I was interested in. Nobody would talk to me or even acknowledge me. As I left (hey - it was 103 outside - 10 minutes was my limit), one man from anoter part of the lot asked if I had been helped. I explained after 10 minutes, nobody was interested in talking to me, so I would shop elsewhere. "But can I find someone for you?" "No, not now, it's too late." Tis a shame - there are a couple of excellent options there and I would likely have purchased a car from them in the next week or so. Of course, assuming they would look ME in the eyes when I go back with Hubby.

Maybe it's just ME and not the missing anatomy.

Pictures

DD#2 and Marine ~ July 28, 2007

WE WILL MISS YOU, Marine!

Synchronized swimming? Not quite. Just having fun times in the pool. This would be the "Who can stand on their hands the longest" contest. Can you tell whose legs match which twin?

Pretty predictable, huh?! LOL If you don't know, they're right-side-up below: DD#3 and DD#4

No new pix of DD#1 - if she's not working, she's out with friends. She stops in to check email, eat and do laundry. Oh, and to bring me iced caramel macchiatos. I love you, DD#1! :o) Even without the coffee. LOL

Be blessed.

The blame game

This morning's headlines were grand. Seems a young starlet's 13 year old sister has been quoted as blaming their father for all of big sis's problems (alcohol and drug use topping the list). OK, I don't follow this stuff, but it was in front of my face and I couldn't resist reading the article. DAD, then, blamed his OWN problems on his ex brother in law. When did we stop requiring personal responsibility? Why is it OK to have an addiction and take no part of the blame for our own actions? Can I blame my sugar addiction on my parents? I suppose I could...but it is unfounded and that won't help me turn away a lemon bar or a hot brownie with butter (yeah, it's a Texan thing). But really...shouldn't we all just say that we have a problem and it is our own problem?

I'm tired of the blame game.

Grow up, young [coughLindsaycough] starlet. Either continue the drugs and alcohol until you're pushing up daisies, or make something of yourself. It is YOUR choice, YOUR problem, and YOUR responsbility.

And on that, I am feeling like a lemon bar. Nah, just kidding. :)

More Sweet 16...the party

Nikita, Abby, DD#2Aubree, Emily, Abby, Kendra



Group pic
Funny how DD#2 keeps calling the Stang "her car"

"Night under the stars cake" ... thanks, Mrs. Keeler!

My photographer for the night let me down and I don't have more pix to share. BUT...it was a fun night, filled with a scavenger hunt/amazing race to the local elementary school where Hubby made them play games. LOL As much as you'd think teens would have hated that, they had a ball, then raced back here for a late night swim...where the GUYS dominated tossing GIRLS into the pool. And no good pix!!!

Sweet 16...

Today is Layne's 16th birthday ... you know the drill, Swet 16 and ... well, she's awfully sweet! LOL She started her day with 6am track/pole vault practice, but by 10am we were having pedicures, leading into shopping, then lunch at Red Lobster (her motivation: Cheddar bay biscuits!). Unfortunately, she had to head to work in the afternoon, but several friends stopped in to wish her Happy Birthday ... and buy ice cream, too! Best friend, Nikita, and another good friend, Abby, brought balloons and chocolate over and surprised her after work. Here is a picture of her holding up her main gift - car keys (symbolism - she is NOT being given the Mustang!) and an order form for the front bumper she wants for her Pony. All in all, it was a great day.

Happy Birthday, Layney!! ;o) I love you!

Ramblings about my week

1) I learned something new on Tuesday. A bikini top is a shirt. No kidding! At the Clovis Food Maxx (Sunnyside/Shaw), a woman walked in wearing a bikini top that showed more skin than me in my bra (daughter #1 would cringe - she hates words like 'bra' being used so openly). I asked an employee if that counted as a "shirt," as the sign on the door plainly reads: "Shirt and shoes required." The answer was vague. The general consensus is that they didn't want to hurt her feelings and risk her hiring an attorney to fight that her bikini top is a shirt. Instead they lost a $400/month customer. They will be poorer (and I'm sure not care), but I am smarter becuase now I know what I never knew: a bikini top is a shirt. Go figure. How disappointing that they will cater to the person doing wrong, even make excuses for her, for fear she will sue, instead of standing by their own printed rules. Oh wait, I must live in California...

2) Our French student arrived tonight! Marine (pronounced more "Mah-reen") is tiny and has a beautiful smile. We picked up pizza on the way home, ate, swam a bit, and watched a little of a movie (with French subtitles just because I'm that nice), then she went to bed. I expect she will sleep a long time tonight. I tried to give her warning of how crazy busy things were around here - tomorrow she will begin to see what I mean. I hope she's not disappointed with her placement. She brought such lovely gifts for everyone. We are all looking forward to showing her American culture (not the bikini stuff from above) and how a typical American family lives. Saturday we will have my friend Linda and her family + their French student over and we'll celebrate Bastille Day together with our kids.

3) Something else I've learned - when I feel like a member of the opposite sex has played on the emotions of one of my daughters, it's not something that makes me happy. And I much prefer to be happy.

4) Why don't people post comments? Just one of those mysteries, I suppose. I read some blogs with zillions of comments - I get email from friends who say they read something in particular that they liked, yet no comments except from my OC friend. :) Perhaps it's because they're not bloggers and are afraid of that whole "comment" button. I think there's just a whole blog subculture and I'm not connected yet. LOL It's OK, really, it is. I mostly blog for myself anyway since I'm a wannabe writer.

And on that note, DD#1 (yes, the "bra" one) just brought me a custom made peppermint vanilla light frappuccino after getting off work (Starbuck's). It tastes just like my mom's homemade peppermint ice cream, so off I go to devour a few hundred calories before bed.

Introducing....Maggie Moo's to Clovis! DD#2 is a proud ice cream scooper at Clovis's newest ice cream parlor. Maggie Moo's is right in front of the Criterion theater - couldn't ask for a better location! Last night was free tasting for friends and family and we LOVED it! It is on the pricy side, but for a special treat, it's definitely the place to go. Really - you get what you pay for! Today is official opening day and DD#2 was working the opening. If you're in the area, definitely put this on your list of places to go this summer! Besides, in this heat, you've just got to have something to cool you off.

How quickly they forget...

2008 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is blasting former top White House aide Lewis Libby for allegedly lying to investigators, saying his decision to leak CIA employee Valerie Plame's name to the press was "simply reprehensible." "Taking such action for political purposes is simply reprehensible and should never be tolerated," Clinton complains in a statement posted to her web site. The former first lady, who had her own truth-telling problems in the Travelgate scandal, said Libby's attempts to "interfere with the investigation" by deceiving investigators "raises serious national security concerns."

How quickly the Clintons forget about Bill's last minute pardon of 140...

Bill Clinton has spent nearly as much of his career in the public eye for bad reasons as for good. Some say that his need to remain centre stage at all costs is behind his seemingly inexplicable series of public relations blunders, while others argue that Mr Clinton has a naive streak that enables people to manipulate him. He was busy negotiating his own immunity from prosecution in his final hours in the White House, which might have made it hard for him to concentrate on other matters - but his 11th-hour pardon of 140 people and the reduction in sentence of another 36 is unprecedented in modern political history, and Democrats and Republicans alike are demanding an explanation for some of them.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Is it really camping if...

OK, I have been told this IS NOT camping, but I really must disagree. This weekend I had the opportunity to go with one of my old friends to pick up her new-to-her Casita travel trailer that she bought from a man a few hours north of Fresno. Her kids were with their dad and she was nervous about going alone (OK, I was nervous for her, too), so I said I'd go - it'd be fun to hang out together. Honestly, I really didn't think it would come together and figured I'd be off the hook, while still being a good friend and offering. :o) (Kidding, Lisa!)

Lisa picked me up midday Friday and we had a few stops to make before really getting on the road, so we didn't arrive to her Casita-in-waiting until around 6pm. The convenient thing is that the trailer was parked in the driveway of the seller's mother-in-law, who happened to live next door to the seller. (Now, lest you think we're parked in track homes, this is in the mountain, huge lots, tall redwood trees, etc., so it wasn't as cheesy at it may sound, but we didn't have access to mother-in-law's shower, kitchen, etc.) The seller (Bob) took about an hour showing Lisa how things worked, with a promise to return the next morning and teach her how to hook it up to her truck for travel. Since he was leaving before noon the next day, she would need to be a quick study. After Friday's tutorial, we settled in and cooked dinner on the gas stove in the Casita. There was also a toilet and shower, and though they were about the size of my laptop when opened, when nature called, I was grateful for not having to experience a REAL camp potty. Because we were hooked up to electric, we then fired up the laptop ("Don't leave home without it!" is my motto!) and watched a DVD before bed. Morning brought pancakes, hook-up tutorial, then a trip into Arnold and Murphys, CA for a craft fair and some shopping. Nothing thrills me more than to find something COOL and DIFFERENT at a craft fair and when I saw this booth, I was hooked. I could have spent literally hundreds here. OK, I did spend my fair share - on a Rod purse, of course. :o) It was worth every penny and I plan to add to my collection as time goes on. So...Saturday night meant cooking dinner on a propane stove, another movie and sleeping in the trailer, then a Sunday morning departure and 4 hour drive home. Because the shower was a challenge, I felt dirty, unshaven, with dirty hair, but it was fun to be with my friend and have no agenda.

So...in my mind, I went camping this weekend. And as fun as it was, I think I hear the Marriott calling my name...

Big headlines today

This morning's big headlines:

"Tony Blair to serve as a Middle East peace envoy ... Announcement may come today." (Um, didn't it just come?)

"Blonde Justice: Paris Freed From Jail" (Whew!)

"Did this lady dismember her husband?" (Not quite sure why this one caught my eye - I guess I thought it was going to be another Bobbitt story.)

"Tiger Cub Joins Baby Pack" (Maybe I'm having baby cravings, but is this baby adorable or WHAT?! Check out the labradoodle, too!)

Coach, 40, Weds 16-Year-Old Student (Hmm. I have to say that I wouldn't have signed the consent form and still find it hard to believe the police wouldn't step in.)

And, though not a headline, check out what my OC friend did this weekend with her daughter. She's my hero of the day. And what cute shirts! ;o)

Here's the van I drove yesterday. Because our current van's miles are just getting too high for comfort, it's time to make a move. I thought maybe we were done with the van stage and looked at a Honda Pilot but they are just too small for our family. Now to get serious about trying to sell my van by myself...or else take a loss with trade-in.

OK, news is out of the way, and it's time to become a little more productive.

Have a blessed day.

Unbelievable.

It all started this evening when I decided it was time to go outside and do some hand watering. The front went successfully, with the exception of finding my yellow mum plant literally covered with tiny cocoons. Hmm. I'll check these out more carefully tomorrow in better light. Yuck - I hate bugs. The back wasn't as successful. Well, the watering went fine, of course, that's a no brainer. But then I decide to venture to the "orchard" (silly name for the area with 4 fruit trees) and, lo and behold, my new peach/plum tree doesn't seem to have the 10 pieces of fruit it had a week ago. Well, THAT is weird, especially since the fruit is as green as can be and won't be ready at least until August. I spotted one small peach but couldn't see any of the plums (pluots, we're actually hoping for) that I saw on my last visit. Now there weren't many, maybe 10 pieces of fruit TOTAL (the tree's only 2 years old), so this isn't going to be a mystery of Twilight Zone proportions. Still, though, I bought this tree when it was a mere stick in a bucket at a garden show in Hanford in 2005. I lugged it home and have watched it grow, anticipating its first crop.

Fast forward 2 minutes when I notice MY DAUGHTER'S STUPID WHITE DOG CHEWING SOMETHING. "HUNTER!!!!" (said in my nicest "I am so mad at you" kind of voice) I distract him with a cookie (yeah, it was a reward, but honestly I thought he was chewing on something that could hurt him) and discover THE FRUIT FROM MY TREE. Shown below (yes, I know I need a manicure), I believe it to be either a plum or a pluot. And I also think it was the last one. Tomorrow I shall investigate fully, again in better light. Maybe there's another piece out there. I did see one lone peach up high. If he gets it, he's in really big trouble.

The good news is that my Meyer lemon tree has about 40 lemons - my mom and sisters will be delighted - they live for their Christmas Meyer lemon shipments! If Hunter touches THOSE, his new address may have the initials "SPCA" in it... (Just kidding...please, animal lovers, don't hunt me down. I love my dogs.)

Meanwhile, I've been freecycling like a crazy lady (wow, that crazy thing pops up a lot!) and it feels so good to get rid of JUNK! Whatever is left on Monday will go to AmVet's and get OUT of here! And I promise that Hunter won't be with the pile. :o)

Be blessed...

This is where the rubber meets the ... wrist?

Aaah - the mail. Snail mail, that is. You never know what it's going to bring. Not two weeks ago I got what is now known as the "rejection letter" which freed me up for another year (yay!). Today's renderings included a padded envelope in the midst of some junk mail. I was momentarily excited, thinking perhaps it would reveal a new CD or book from Amazon. No CD, but definitely something I needed more and ordered for myself and the girls. Ordered about two months or so ago! The return label read "AComplaintFreeWorld.org." "Oh yeaaaahhhh! The purple rubber wrist bands I heard about on Oprah!" The idea is that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. In an effort to rid the world of complaints, people are encouraged to wear these bracelets, switching from one wrist to the other each time they complain, gossip or criticize. Now, keeping in mind that the mail arrived TODAY, I have worn mine for approximately 7 hours at this point. I have lost track of how many times I have had to change wrists! I didn't realize I was such a whiner!!! (Those of you reading who DID know I am a complainer, please don't make the effort to comment and tell me! LOL) This is gonig to be hard for a number of reasons. Topping the list is that I really don't like the feel of rubber on my wrist (yes, I just changed wrists!) and I am not a big bracelet wearer anyway. That aside, I will press on. My immediate short-term goal is to get through an HOUR without having to change wrists. The bracelets are free, but a 'love offering' is requested and they also included a SASE in my shipment. Feel up to the challenge? Use the link above and join me in doing my share to rid the world of whining! :o)

I am hereby officially...

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year old again.
I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four-star restaurant.
I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks.
I want to think that M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.
I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer's day.
I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care.
All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.
I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.
I want to believe anything is possible.
I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.
I want to live simple again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.
I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.
So.....here's my checkbook and car keys, my credit card bills and my 401k statements.
I am officially resigning from adulthood, and if you want to discuss this further, you have to catch me first, cause,
"TAG! You're it!"

Beauty

Some of you may have already seen this video. I love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT4dpFpiTgk
Dove has a new campaign for beauty using "real women." They have models that are full sized, who don't have flawless skin, whose hair isn't absolutely perfect, etc. Kudos to Dove for using REAL WOMEN. After having weight and appearance 'issues' for 42 years, it's not likely I will wake up tomorrow and be satisfied with my outside appearance...but...instead I will be happy celebrating who I am on the inside. Life is too short to never taste refreshing, cold ice cream again. After all, If Marilyn Monroe was a size 14, then I'm just a little bit more woman than she was.

There are worse things in life...

Congrats, class of 2007!

~CHS 2007~

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of witnessing the commencement ceremony for Clovis High's class of 2007. It's the class DD#1 *would have been in* had she not decided to graduate last year, so it wasn't sentimental per se. Still, friends were graduating and it was nice to go and watch.

For the record, I would to remind people that when you are a part of an audience - ANY audience, it is considered rude to talk during the proceedings. Why am I continually amazed at the rudeness of society? Even my children know that when a show or speaker begins, that is the time for the audience to SHUT UP.

Again, congratulations new grads. You've worked hard to get to this point. Enjoy your moment in the spotlight...then update your resumes, register for college, and welcome to the adult world!

Rejection .. feels good!

Now that Paris is out of the way, I can blog about more important things. HA

Yesterday was the day. It arrived before noon. What, you ask? My 3rd annual REJECTION letter from Fresno City College. Yes, the thin envelope (easily recognizable by now!) was a token to inform me that I was not selected to be in the Fall 2007 Radiology Tech program. Now, I will admit that the first year (2005) I got rejected, I teared up - I honestly was disappointed. Year 2 brought a shrug. Year 3 brought a "Yippeee!" Because the rejection isn't a personal rejection, it's easy to swallow. Over 200 names are thrown in a hat and we all have the same chance to be drawn for 26 positions. Those aren't great odds. I still have an interest in the radiology field, but that is not what God has in mind for me right now. It's really hard to argue with Him. Instead, I have a peace like no other. I didn't feel like this was the right time for college, and God confirmed it. I am thankful for yesterday's thin envelope.

I have some other directions I want to pursue for now and will be praying about them and seeing where HE wants me.

Have a nice Thursday.

Give me a break.

It's 7:38am and I have driven 3 kids to school in 2 different trips, made a grocery run, and have just had the chance to skim over the internet news for the morning. My life would seem complete, but now it is even more so - Paris Hilton is free.

Paris' Jail Life Canceled
Paris Hilton is a free woman.
The hotel heiress formerly known as inmate 9818783 made an early exit from the Century Regional Detention Facility Thursday after serving just three of the 45 days to which she was originally sentenced.
The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said it would hold a news conference later in the day to discuss the circumstances leading to Hilton's release.
Hilton entered the Lynwood, California facility on Sunday, just hours after making a red carpet appearance at the MTV Movie Awards.
Members of her family and her attorney claimed she was "doing well" during her brief sojourn behind bars.
Undoubtedly, she's doing even better now that she's back on the streets.
Hilton's early release came as news to her sister, Nicky, who was telling friends Wednesday night that she planned to visit her incarcerated sibling over the weekend, according to E! Online senior editor Marc Malkin.
The Simple Life star was handed her 45-day sentence for violating her probation on an alcohol-related driving charge on May 4.
Though the judge initially said Hilton could expect to serve her full sentence, with no provisions for house arrest or monitoring bracelet options, it was later sliced in half due to overcrowded jail conditions and a California statute that grants credit for good behavior.
That bisected sentence was in turn cut short by an estimated 20 days.
Breaking news. More to come.

Goodness knows I spent many a sleepless night this week, wondering how the poor waif was faring in her jail cell. Puh-leeeeeze. FIRST she was surprised because a judge was actually going to punish her for driving without a license ~and drunk~. She seemed to think she shouldn't have to pay for her crime. I feel certain if I get pulled over for DUI and I have a suspended license, I would be taken to jail then and there. Good thing I don't drink! LOL SECONDLY, Ms. Hilton already had half of her 45-day sentence dropped. AND NOW THIS ... she is free. As the news article stated: "Breaking news - more to come." I know I shall be on the edge of my chair all day...NOT.

8:02am update - Paris was apparently sent to house arrest because of "a medical condition." What? The D.T.'s?

Give me a break.

Marathon, part 2

It's a sad thing to have your husband complete a marathon and walk away without ONE picture of the event. Somehow things got too busy in the volunteer area and ... well ... I have no pictures of Hubby at the finish line. In fact, the camera didn't even come out of its case the entire weekend. I do have a few pictures on my cell phone but, oddly enough, these are of scenery around San Diego. So much for that. Hubby's official marathon time was 4 hours 16 minutes. He was disappointed, as he had hoped to finish in under 4 hours. He still had a good race and recovered pretty quickly, then took my volunteer t-shirt and proceeded to help volunteer at the finish line for the next few hours. Recycle fanatic that he is, he even filled two huge trash bags with empty plastic water bottles from the finish line and hauled them home. His idea for next year is to take the kids and gather ALL of the bottles left behind. With 20,000 runners, each having 1-3 bottles, there is approximately a $2000 profit to be made during this weekend. The money is an aside; keeping that many bottles out of the landfill would be the best payoff. Yes, we're freaks.

The weekend was nice in spite of no pictures. I highly recommend http://www.gofishanthonys.com/grottoabout.html where we had the best seafood of the weekend. We returned home to a house that was still standing, kids that were still alive and well, and even our plants were still alive, so really, who can complain? :o)

Marathon Sub-culture, part 1

Hubby and I are in beautiful, sunny San Diego for the Rock 'n Roll Marathon. Well, it's not really been sunny here today, more like temps in the low 60's and overcast, but beautiful and fun nonetheless. We worked our way to Downtown San Diego for the marathon packet pick up and health expo. I'm telling you - I could sit and people-watch for hours at a place like this. People in every age/size/shape are here to participate in the marathon. It honestly is inspiring to see these people who have trained and prepared for this event. I can't imagine RUNNING 1 mile, much less 26.2. I am a sloth.

So, aside from being inspired, it's actually hilarious to watch some of the hard core athletes. You can pick them out of a crowd with ease - they just have "that look." Even Hubby fits in to a great extent. His search in the expo was for a product called "Gu" gel - http://www.gusports.com/ When he finally spotted the Gu booth, his face lit up like it was Christmas. The only disappointment was in discovering they have discontinued his favorite flavor, but he will make do with his second favorite.

Then there was the OroWheat bread booth. In an attempt to attract people to their product, they had free samples of toasted bread and toasted whole wheat English muffins. Sounds good. BUT...they then spritzed them with a butter-like product. Not butter. A product full of chemicals. Tell me this: why would athletes who have trained their bodies to compete want to put a chemical butter substitute into their bodies? Is it just me or is that backwards? I could see the bread and fake butter product at perhaps a weight loss seminar/expo, but at a seminar for the presumed purists? Hmm. I will say this - the whole wheat English muffins were very good - fake butter or not.

So it's after 8pm and time for bed since we must get up at 3am. I will drop Hubby off at the start line, then drive to the finish line where I will volunteer. Hopefully I will time it right and get to see my honey cross the finish line. His anticipated time is "under 4 hours - hopefully closer to 3.5 hours." I can't nap for that long without getting worn out. LOL OK, maybe not really, but again, my hat is off to those athletes, old and young, large and small. Tomorrow I will have pictures. :o)

Til then...how far can YOU run at one time?

How is it that some people...

...seem to have so much time and blog regularly? Is there a blog-fiber pill out there that I am missing, therefore preventing me from becoming blog-regular? I dunno. I have great thoughts and ideas, but then don't even revisit them for several days until I have time. Then, well, sometimes those great thoughts and ideas have vanished or worse - they no longer seem like great thoughts or even worthy ideas. So today, some ramblings.

Last night DD#2's short-term dreams were realized. She got her first job at an ice cream franchise that is coming to Clovis (by the new Criterion theater) in the next few weeks. http://www.maggiemoos.com/home/index.cfm I KNEW she'd get it - she's perfect to work at a place like this! Those of you local, make sure you put Maggie Moo's on your "to do" list for summer. To make the news even sweeter...her best friend, Nikita, also got a job there. Congrats, girls! I'm especially excited about the job becuase this means she will easily be able to pay her half of cheer for next year....which means I won't have to pay it all!

It is now 2:21 in the afternoon and I am wondering what the company that promised mattress delivery between 11-2 really meant when they gave me that time slot, as I have no mattress here, yet I have been expecting them for several hours. No, not really blog worthy, but it is disappointing and I feel like my whole day has been wasted. Sigh.

Yesterday I attended the year-end band concert at my daughters' junior high. There was a good showing, but still seating available. I do have a GRIPE in the amount of people that arrived LATE - up to 30 minutes late (for a 90 minute concert, 30 minutes is pretty late), then didn't have the courtesy to wait til a piece ended before climbing over people in the bleachers and seating themselves and their families of 6-8. Come on, folks. I have a family of 6 and I know that if we expect to sit together ANYWHERE, we must go early, or at the very least, ON TIME. Common courtesy dictates it. Then...when we ARE seated, we don't get up and down throughout the concert, talk, etc. The kids performing have worked too hard to not be give the same courtesy a 'real' concert would have received. Oh wait, a 'real' concert brings the same type of behavior. IS it Fresno? Or is it society in general?

OK, rambling time is over and it's time to pack for a quick weekend trip where Hubby will run the Rock & Roll Marathon. Lest you think I'm going to be lazy, I am volunteering at the finish line. If it's anything like last time, I will work equally as hard as Hubby running the 26.2 miles. Keep him in your prayers...a pulled hamstring has him in pain and growing quite nervous about being able to finish the race on Sunday...I would offer to take his place, but, quite honestly, I get weary just DRIVING 26.2. I'm more of a behind-the-scenes kind of gal, not wanting to take the glory away from the real athletes out there.

She's gone! She's gone!

Wow, can it be? I read the most exciting bit of news on my Comcast.net homepage this evening. A certain oh-so-obnoxious (OSO) talk show host, who will remain nameless, has decided that she will take an early departure from her talk show that she co-hosts with 3 other women (I can't actually say "ladies" because two of the four hosts are merely "women" in my book.). Now, I don't watch much TV, and don't even like this talk show. It's one I've watched maybe 10 times in its 10(?) seasons. I simply don't like the hosts, but this OSO woman takes the cake. After reading a news blurb last week about OSO determining that our U.S. troops are terrorists (oops, did that give it away?) and being angry because sweet-Christian-Republican (SCR) host said nothing to defend OSO. My thinking (as if OSO or SCR care) is that SCR actually did OSO a favor by keeping her mouth shut. I mean...had it been me, I would have commented back that I also disagreed with OSO. SCR did the better thing by merely keeping silent. Now to campaign for the redhead to disappear and see if a meaningful conversation could ever be had. All of this said, maybe I will tune in next week and watch for a moment or two. I, for one, am glad to see this atrocity of a host GONE.

Story of the vanishing blog

Well, well, well. Somehow my first blog has vanished - or rather I am no longer able to log in, which really is not that big of a deal, because I believe I had only posted once, though it was really rather nice. My kids were all in a good place and I was feeling immensely satisfied with my family, my life, and myself at the moment. When you have four teenage girls, that feeling of satisfaction can change pretty quickly. Or rather...the "kids were all in a good place" can change on a dime, depending on hormones, cycles and all that good stuff. But mostly, I do feel very blessed. Nobody's been arrested. Nobody's ever run away (though I'm sure in their minds, at least one or two of them have dreamed of this on a short-term basis). Nobody has totally wigged out on a long-term basis. But more importantly, I am blessed with having a healthy family, one that works together to look out for the best interests of each other, and, most importantly, a family that loves God. Really, it can't possibly get much better than that.


So this is now my 'other' first blog, or rather my first blog of my crazyladycheryl blog. Why the name? Well, to be perfectly honest, I couldn't think of anything other than using my name (boooring) and creative juices are pretty low in general. Much of the time I feel like a crazy lady, running here and there, working 3 different jobs, in addition to the whole wife/mother/family organizer gig. Don't get me wrong, I love every minute of what I do, but it still leaves me feeling like a crazy lady most of the time.

Crazy or not, it's me, and this is my blog.