I lost 3 more pounds! Go me! I am up to 25 pounds lost and plan on losing a lot more in the month of August. BUT, I won't know how much until I get back from our extended vacation! We leave on Saturday the 31st and get back the 19th or 20th of August. Vacations are the best when the lodging is free. :) Buena Vista, DC, and CAMP HERE WE COME! We will be swimming, visiting family, swimming, hiking, and did I mention SWIMMING?! We are buying a bunch of paper plates and easy food to make and calling it good! So, for the 5 of you who may or may not notice my absence: I bid you farewell! Expect tons pictures of us tan, me skinnier, and splashing in the water in about a month! C-YA LATER!
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
A Week in Review...
We are on the countdown to our vacation and can't wait!...But we have to and all I have to say is: Jake is a trooper! He had to spend a total of 11 hours with me at work this week. So, I tried to make up for it with some fun with friends. Here is our week in reiview....
Sunday: Went to church of course and I was supposed to greet at work from 4-7...but I didn't have to. They didn't make the weeks goal (it happens the middle of every summer I am told) and they had to cut hours. We were all so excited! Except this was my last week working for a while and I only had 19 hours scheduled for the week...I ended up making up for it on Friday so it all worked out.
Monday: I had the day off. We walked, cleaned, read, played the Wii and just hung out. It was a good day...
Tuesday: I had to work 11 to 7 (and Aaron is gone from first thing in the morning until about 9 at night) , so Jake spent the day with Nina (a good family friend from church) watching movies and playing with Maren (a sweet girl from church). He had a good time, but was happy I had the next day off...and so was I!
Wednesday: Errand day-and we had a bunch of them...Pick up Papa G's hearing aids. Check. Get the food for Cub Scouts. Check. Return a bathing suit (I ordered the wrong size of from Land's End clearance-GREAT PRICE, and I luckily got the right size in the next day) to Sears. Check. Post office. Check. Bank. Check...You get the idea...I bribed Jake (really rewarded him. He is a great helper and makes it fun by always playing in the car where ever we are headed) with Chic-fil-a at the mall while returning the bathing suit.. We also had Cub Scouts and the boys had a blast. We had an outdoor flag ceremony and Brother Russell taught the boys fire safety. Which you can imagine they LOVED! We roasted hot dogs and the boys ran around in the "forest" behind the church. In fact they had so much fun that we just had to have them over the next day! Thursday we had 5 friends over to play!
Milkshake face!
Trying to get the fire started.
Cooking their hot dogs on a fire they started (with a little help)!
Thursday: Play date! Including Jake we had 4 boys and 2 girls over (Kevin, Kelly, and Megan's dad had an appointment in the morning. Ian and Williams mom was headed on a temple trip-so it worked out perfect for everyone) from around 8 in the morning until we dropped the last 2 off (and they took a dip in their pool) right before I had to go to work from 4 to 7. I had to greet which is getting paid to talk and I am good at that. Jake hung out in the deli (right beside me).
This is what the boys did:
And the girls had a ball playing with toys from my childhood! My Little Ponies, Flower Petal Girls, and Strawberry Shortcake dolls.
We also played at the park near our house for about 2 1/2 hours and they had a ball pretending to be mythical creatures or something-I was reading in the shade. A nice break, because usually I am the one having to pretend to be the mythical creature...They were all excited to get to ride (slowly-all parents approved) in the back of the truck. They drank around 3 gallons of water! They needed it in the heat!!!
Luckily there was food left over from the night before. I am jealous of all of you who have this many plates to fill ever meal... :)
Here are the crazy kiddos eating lunch. You can't see it here because I hadn't brought it in yet but they polished off a whole bag of green grapes and about half a bag of red ones!
Jake and William in the pool to cool off. I dream of having a pool in our backyard! Someday...
I was so jealous...I knew I wouldn't have time to swim and shower before work...It was H-O-T. Glad they had fun!
Friday: JAKE IS A TROOPER. He had to come with me to work from 11-7, poor kid. He had an awesome attitude about it and of course everyone loves him and thinks he is hysterical. (Our Ward was having a pioneer camp out so no one was really available to watch Jake.) One of the girl's at work quit and they asked if I could come in on Friday. Since they are giving me a month off I couldn't say no! I told them I would have to bring Jake and they said it was no problem. Do I work at a great place or what? Jake ended up watching a couple of movies and I showed him how to run U-Scan, which he thought was awesome. There were meetings on Friday that a hand full of us didn't get to go to because our hours to work were during both the hours the meetings took place. My manager gave me this after:
I turns out 3 cashiers and 2 service people got $10 gift cards. They based who got it on: most positive feed back from customers in the store and on phone surveys. It was also based on which employees got letters from corporate for thanks on great service after their in store visits. I have gotten 3 letters...I assumed everyone was getting them. I guess not!
Saturday: I SLEPT IN!!! And it was so nice. I got out of bed at 9: 57...I was awake for about an hour but just laid in bed and thought about all the things we would need to accomplish the coming week in order to leave poor Aaron alone for 20 days!
In the mail that day, Jake got an interesting package from Nee that he can't open until we are in the car on our way to VA and VT. He says it is torturing him...It has been a day and a half since he got it...It is going to be a long week! Most importantly I worked from 4-7 on Saturday. My last hours to work until after school starts again! Now summer vacation is really starting!!!!
Sunday: Went to church of course and I was supposed to greet at work from 4-7...but I didn't have to. They didn't make the weeks goal (it happens the middle of every summer I am told) and they had to cut hours. We were all so excited! Except this was my last week working for a while and I only had 19 hours scheduled for the week...I ended up making up for it on Friday so it all worked out.
Monday: I had the day off. We walked, cleaned, read, played the Wii and just hung out. It was a good day...
Tuesday: I had to work 11 to 7 (and Aaron is gone from first thing in the morning until about 9 at night) , so Jake spent the day with Nina (a good family friend from church) watching movies and playing with Maren (a sweet girl from church). He had a good time, but was happy I had the next day off...and so was I!
Wednesday: Errand day-and we had a bunch of them...Pick up Papa G's hearing aids. Check. Get the food for Cub Scouts. Check. Return a bathing suit (I ordered the wrong size of from Land's End clearance-GREAT PRICE, and I luckily got the right size in the next day) to Sears. Check. Post office. Check. Bank. Check...You get the idea...I bribed Jake (really rewarded him. He is a great helper and makes it fun by always playing in the car where ever we are headed) with Chic-fil-a at the mall while returning the bathing suit.. We also had Cub Scouts and the boys had a blast. We had an outdoor flag ceremony and Brother Russell taught the boys fire safety. Which you can imagine they LOVED! We roasted hot dogs and the boys ran around in the "forest" behind the church. In fact they had so much fun that we just had to have them over the next day! Thursday we had 5 friends over to play!
Milkshake face!
Trying to get the fire started.
Cooking their hot dogs on a fire they started (with a little help)!
Thursday: Play date! Including Jake we had 4 boys and 2 girls over (Kevin, Kelly, and Megan's dad had an appointment in the morning. Ian and Williams mom was headed on a temple trip-so it worked out perfect for everyone) from around 8 in the morning until we dropped the last 2 off (and they took a dip in their pool) right before I had to go to work from 4 to 7. I had to greet which is getting paid to talk and I am good at that. Jake hung out in the deli (right beside me).
This is what the boys did:
And the girls had a ball playing with toys from my childhood! My Little Ponies, Flower Petal Girls, and Strawberry Shortcake dolls.
We also played at the park near our house for about 2 1/2 hours and they had a ball pretending to be mythical creatures or something-I was reading in the shade. A nice break, because usually I am the one having to pretend to be the mythical creature...They were all excited to get to ride (slowly-all parents approved) in the back of the truck. They drank around 3 gallons of water! They needed it in the heat!!!Luckily there was food left over from the night before. I am jealous of all of you who have this many plates to fill ever meal... :)
Here are the crazy kiddos eating lunch. You can't see it here because I hadn't brought it in yet but they polished off a whole bag of green grapes and about half a bag of red ones!
Jake and William in the pool to cool off. I dream of having a pool in our backyard! Someday...
I was so jealous...I knew I wouldn't have time to swim and shower before work...It was H-O-T. Glad they had fun!
Friday: JAKE IS A TROOPER. He had to come with me to work from 11-7, poor kid. He had an awesome attitude about it and of course everyone loves him and thinks he is hysterical. (Our Ward was having a pioneer camp out so no one was really available to watch Jake.) One of the girl's at work quit and they asked if I could come in on Friday. Since they are giving me a month off I couldn't say no! I told them I would have to bring Jake and they said it was no problem. Do I work at a great place or what? Jake ended up watching a couple of movies and I showed him how to run U-Scan, which he thought was awesome. There were meetings on Friday that a hand full of us didn't get to go to because our hours to work were during both the hours the meetings took place. My manager gave me this after:
I turns out 3 cashiers and 2 service people got $10 gift cards. They based who got it on: most positive feed back from customers in the store and on phone surveys. It was also based on which employees got letters from corporate for thanks on great service after their in store visits. I have gotten 3 letters...I assumed everyone was getting them. I guess not!Saturday: I SLEPT IN!!! And it was so nice. I got out of bed at 9: 57...I was awake for about an hour but just laid in bed and thought about all the things we would need to accomplish the coming week in order to leave poor Aaron alone for 20 days!
In the mail that day, Jake got an interesting package from Nee that he can't open until we are in the car on our way to VA and VT. He says it is torturing him...It has been a day and a half since he got it...It is going to be a long week! Most importantly I worked from 4-7 on Saturday. My last hours to work until after school starts again! Now summer vacation is really starting!!!!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
My Biggest Loser Week 3 Results
No loss, but most important, no gain. Which to me really means a loss. Confused? With my PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) I sometimes go months without having my period. Sorry, I know this is too much information.... I have not had my period in 3 months (no I am not pregnant) and I am having it now. And when I don't have it for a while, it is not fun when I do...So, since I am swollen and bloated, I am thinking I will have a good week next week. :)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Lego Wii Games, The Best Vet Ever, And A Puppy (not ours unfortunetly)
Jake loves all the Wii Lego games. He has Star Wars and Indiana Jones. We have rented Harry Potter and Indiana Jones 2. We keep noticing on the extras section something that says "Poo Money". Yep, poo money. We never knew what it meant until yesterday while playing Indiana Jones 2. It turns out that if you have the poo money setting on and are riding say a camel or a horse you push "z" and it makes the animal poo the Lego studs (you know the little tiny circle Lego's that you use as headlights or other things I can't think of right now...) that you collect throughout the game and use to buy things with. We earned well over 50,000 Lego studs after we figured that out. The blue ones are worth $1000. It is hysterical! I am sure you mothers of girls are thinking I am crazy, but trust me it is so funny!
If you remember back in March we had to put our sweet black lab Emily to sleep. We took her to what we think is an amazing Vet's office. I now KNOW it is the best. They make you a paw print in clay of your dog if you would like them to. We thought that would be great and told they us we could come and get in a few days when the clay dried. Needless to say I was a wreck and couldn't bring myself to go back. After about a month and a half I totally regretted that I hadn't made the trip. I figured it was long gone. Well, I just got a call a few minutes ago from the Vet's office and they told me they still had it and were wondering if we wanted to come by and pick it up. I was thrilled and told them I had assumed we waited too long. They said they would never throw it a way with out making sure that we didn't want it first. Bringing Emily that day in March was the first time they saw our family and they still took care of our sweet girl and us as if we had been life long clients. I am so impressed and as soon as we get a puppy (who knows when that will be) we will be right back there!
...Speaking of puppies we saw the cutest little guy this morning on our walk. He was in the middle of the road, saw us, started wagging his tail, and ran right for us. We sat down and cuddled him hoping (kind of...) his owner would come along to rescue him from the street. The owner came out a few minutes later just as Aaron was jogging by and saying we are not taking that puppy home...What a party pooper! Let me tell you if it was a girl (we are a strictly girl dog family) and it had been just a couple more minutes (we pet the dog for at least 5 minutes. Who lets a little puppy roam the streets at all!) it would have been on its way to our house. We would have put up signs of course saying we found a puppy...They may have been small and poorly placed signs but we would have put some (maybe just one...) up. Does a person who lets a tiny little puppy roam around the street (the man came out of his house to look for it. It isn't like he was in the yard or something) really deserve to have it? He told us it was a lab/collie mix. It was a tiny Emily with a white patch on his chest. He then went on to tell us there were 4 in the litter. The others were girls he had just given a way!!!! GIVEN AWAY-FOR FREE!!! I wish that would have happened a few days earlier...We would have had ourselves a little puppy. I think we would have named her Lucy....
If you remember back in March we had to put our sweet black lab Emily to sleep. We took her to what we think is an amazing Vet's office. I now KNOW it is the best. They make you a paw print in clay of your dog if you would like them to. We thought that would be great and told they us we could come and get in a few days when the clay dried. Needless to say I was a wreck and couldn't bring myself to go back. After about a month and a half I totally regretted that I hadn't made the trip. I figured it was long gone. Well, I just got a call a few minutes ago from the Vet's office and they told me they still had it and were wondering if we wanted to come by and pick it up. I was thrilled and told them I had assumed we waited too long. They said they would never throw it a way with out making sure that we didn't want it first. Bringing Emily that day in March was the first time they saw our family and they still took care of our sweet girl and us as if we had been life long clients. I am so impressed and as soon as we get a puppy (who knows when that will be) we will be right back there!
...Speaking of puppies we saw the cutest little guy this morning on our walk. He was in the middle of the road, saw us, started wagging his tail, and ran right for us. We sat down and cuddled him hoping (kind of...) his owner would come along to rescue him from the street. The owner came out a few minutes later just as Aaron was jogging by and saying we are not taking that puppy home...What a party pooper! Let me tell you if it was a girl (we are a strictly girl dog family) and it had been just a couple more minutes (we pet the dog for at least 5 minutes. Who lets a little puppy roam the streets at all!) it would have been on its way to our house. We would have put up signs of course saying we found a puppy...They may have been small and poorly placed signs but we would have put some (maybe just one...) up. Does a person who lets a tiny little puppy roam around the street (the man came out of his house to look for it. It isn't like he was in the yard or something) really deserve to have it? He told us it was a lab/collie mix. It was a tiny Emily with a white patch on his chest. He then went on to tell us there were 4 in the litter. The others were girls he had just given a way!!!! GIVEN AWAY-FOR FREE!!! I wish that would have happened a few days earlier...We would have had ourselves a little puppy. I think we would have named her Lucy....
Monday, July 19, 2010
So I do things a little backwards...
Most people have their blogs public and then decide it is time to go private. I am doing it the other way around. This is my own personal therapy. Letting go of the paranoia and embracing my fears. No one is going to read my blog and stand outside my house and stalk me or my family. Maybe this will just make it easier for the less computer literate people I know to keep in touch. No having to sign in any more. For anyone that stumbles upon my blog, please look else where if you are expecting correct grammar or incredible insights. This is just me rambling to document my little family, the things that clutter my brain on a regular basis and I must release, and me trying desperately to look like the person I see in my head-the person I used to be, on the outside. I am a work in progress-we all are. So, nothing is going to change her on my little blog except maybe a few more friends and family members will be able to see how we spend our days! I thought I would have that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach...But, I am good! No one is in my front yard hiding behind a bush or anything....Baby steps to sanity...One foot in front of the other...I can do this people!
One more thing...(Picture me whispering this to you) Don't tell Jake I am writing this...He asked me what I am doing and I told him I was making our blog public and he was about to cry! I asked him why (have I created a paranoid child? probably...) and he said "you know that the things you write on there embarrass me! Like that I call Nee, Nee". (what he has called my mom since he was a baby-it was one of his first words). I then went on to tell him that lot's of people have different names for their grandparents. I also told him I recently read a post about someone's child pooping there pants. That made him feel better. It also made him feel better that I told him everybody thinks he is funny...He then told me I should change the title of our blog because it doesn't make sense... You get it right? I ALWAYS seem to have one more thing to say and it is taken from the lyrics of an awesome John Mayer song...Maybe it is a stupid title...
One more thing...(Picture me whispering this to you) Don't tell Jake I am writing this...He asked me what I am doing and I told him I was making our blog public and he was about to cry! I asked him why (have I created a paranoid child? probably...) and he said "you know that the things you write on there embarrass me! Like that I call Nee, Nee". (what he has called my mom since he was a baby-it was one of his first words). I then went on to tell him that lot's of people have different names for their grandparents. I also told him I recently read a post about someone's child pooping there pants. That made him feel better. It also made him feel better that I told him everybody thinks he is funny...He then told me I should change the title of our blog because it doesn't make sense... You get it right? I ALWAYS seem to have one more thing to say and it is taken from the lyrics of an awesome John Mayer song...Maybe it is a stupid title...
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Update: If my life wasn't so dang AWESOME I wouldn't be constantly updating my blog! (I just realized this is my 200th post.)
But it is, so here I am again! (Not in chronological order...this is going to be another long one people!)
1. Don't let the date and time fool you. I started this post at 10:30 something Saturday night and then remembered I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before and should be in bed...So, I am back to finish it today. And the reason for my staying up so late was the John Mayer concert! It was soooooo great. I can officially say my list of favorite musicians (living at least. Elvis is on my list to listen to in heaven. Also the Beetles when they are all together again.) is checked off and completed. It was a short list. Dave Matthews Band(can't even count how many times I have seen them...13 or 14 at least), Matchbox Twenty (seen them 2 times), Vertical Horizon (seen them a bunch...5 or 6. Aaron thinks more), Harry Connick Jr. (saw him in college. Nobody wanted to go so I talked my parents into going with me), New Kids on the Block (5 times-3 the first time around and 2 for the reunion), and the last of my favorites list was John Mayer. He is a very close 2nd to my favorite music of all time. DMB is number one. So, it is surprising that I have just now seen him in concert. But it was worth the wait and I would totally go again. The guy is an amazing musician. Aaron (who plays the guitar) said he was "ridiculous". In a good way. The best guitarist we have EVER seen in person and probably ever will. My only negative is that it could have been longer. He only played for maybe an hour and a half with the encore. It rocked. He only said one potty word (you may remember my letter to John in a post several months ago asking why he has to cuss in some of his songs), and in one of the songs that has a potty word he actually replaced it with another non-potty word. Maybe someone slipped him my letter and told him that I would eventually like to be able to have Jake go see him some day. Jake's favorite song is "No Such Thing". Jake would have LOVED this concert. But it will be years before that happens... (you will see why in a later picture..). Train (2nd time seeing them) opened up for him and they were awesome too. Before the concert started we were talking about who we have seen in concert. I kicked everyone's butt in that category. I am really going to have to make a list because it is pretty amusing the length of the list and who is on it....I will save that for another day. Here are a couple of pictures. We didn't have the greatest seats ever but we all were just happy to be there and the jumbo screen always helps.
Aaron, Me, Ranee (Happy Birthday! Going to the concert was both of our b-day gifts. But her b-day was just the day before it), and Jeremy.
John is really a big dork. He had on pants rolled up to show off his Carolina blue Chuck Taylor's and a bandanna head band on.
Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you choose a different path? This my friends is what the world looks like to those who make poor choices...
This poor women was so drunk she couldn't even hold her head up. To see an adult like this was pretty pitiful. She was not a dumb kid making dumb decisions. She was probably close to our age!..Glad I am where I am in my life! I hope she figures it all out some day poor women.
2. And on a totally different subject. We have been doing some yard work. Mom and Dad we did some major trimming to the front yard bushes...
We did this at our house in Spartanburg and had wonderful results. Aaron tested it before he chopped them all. It opens it up SO much. There is beautiful stonework I didn't even realize was there!
Aaron cut a few back and gave it a couple of weeks before cutting the rest. See it is already growing back!
Jake moving some bricks. Hope you don't mind Mom.... Aaron has big plans. Don't worry we won't do anything major until we talk to you. This little project seemed like a no-brainer so we just went for it! Those flower beds on either side of the front path only had one flower on each side that came back. We figured we are on a budget and so are you guys and flowers can get expensive. Especially to replant every year! So, it was either have one lone flower come up and the rest emptiness...or let those small spaces go back to being grass and make it easier to mow. We choose going back to grass...Sound good to you guys, right?...
Jake carrying the bushes to the curb. The funny part is about 20 minutes after we got done we heard the guys from the city out picking them up! Perfect timing!
The sweaty, dirty face of a boy who worked hard.
3. Just a random picture I love. Nothing says summer like Jake with an ice cream cone.
4. Aaron refers to bacon as "meat candy". Yep. That's my man! A bacon loving fool! I figure I document Jake's comments, so why not Aaron's? Especially when he comes up with a genius thing as "meat candy"! And that in a nut shell sums up a lot about Aaron. That makes him sound like he should be a 300 pound guy...Not what I meant because he isn't even close. I'm just pointing out that is the simple things that make his life good...He also made the comment he would love a bacon scented candle, after I said I wish they made Arm and Hammer plus Oxi-clean laundry detergent scented candles.
5. Getting ready for our trip! Aaron is starting his training which means I won't be able to work at Bi-Lo for about a month. (He will be at school or training from about 8 in the morning until around 10 at night. So, Jake and I get to take a trip North. We are going to spend not quite a week between Aaron's brother, Mike's home in Buena (sp?) Vista, VA and DC with my sister and family. Then we will be in Vermont at Camp for almost 2 weeks. Money is tight so we talked about it and Jake agreed it was worth it to go to Vermont to cash in our "Disney World Fund". We have been collecting change for years in hopes of making a trip there. This is what it looks like in the jar:
I have rolled $209 so far and have a BUNCH left still to count. So, it looks like the trip is going to be paid for with change! We don't have to pay for places to stay-just gas and food. The gross part is this:
This is what your hands look like after rolling coins...Yuck!
6. It is funny that one of my favorite things to do in the summer, leads to one of my least favorite times. I love school supply shopping! I don't however like summer coming to an end and actually sending Jake back to school...It will work out at some point to home school him. But now isn't the time...So, we had fun shopping for all the stuff he needs! And he needs A LOT!
Jake was thrilled that he needed a "Case It" (basically a kid brief case) For his AIG math. (he didn't get high enough on the reading...bummer. He wasn't challenged in that area last year at all...Crossing my fingers for a better teacher this year in that department! But it was a 5th grade test and the fact that he got close is pretty amazing!) This is a Case It:
And something that I didn't have to have EVER in school: A USB drive (is that what you call it? I have used one...I just can't remember the name.)
This is all the stuff he needed and this only includes one thing from the optional list-tissues for the classroom.
8. And last but not least. Jake and I spent a couple of hours building with Legos the other morning. I started out making a robot and ended up making a flat and funny version of our family:
Aaron is the little guy...We ran out of bigger flat pieces. I also had a purse but it broke.
Jake made an awesome tank. He let me pick out one of the people. That would be me on top and him driving. We are awesome builders Don't you think?
1. Don't let the date and time fool you. I started this post at 10:30 something Saturday night and then remembered I had only gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before and should be in bed...So, I am back to finish it today. And the reason for my staying up so late was the John Mayer concert! It was soooooo great. I can officially say my list of favorite musicians (living at least. Elvis is on my list to listen to in heaven. Also the Beetles when they are all together again.) is checked off and completed. It was a short list. Dave Matthews Band(can't even count how many times I have seen them...13 or 14 at least), Matchbox Twenty (seen them 2 times), Vertical Horizon (seen them a bunch...5 or 6. Aaron thinks more), Harry Connick Jr. (saw him in college. Nobody wanted to go so I talked my parents into going with me), New Kids on the Block (5 times-3 the first time around and 2 for the reunion), and the last of my favorites list was John Mayer. He is a very close 2nd to my favorite music of all time. DMB is number one. So, it is surprising that I have just now seen him in concert. But it was worth the wait and I would totally go again. The guy is an amazing musician. Aaron (who plays the guitar) said he was "ridiculous". In a good way. The best guitarist we have EVER seen in person and probably ever will. My only negative is that it could have been longer. He only played for maybe an hour and a half with the encore. It rocked. He only said one potty word (you may remember my letter to John in a post several months ago asking why he has to cuss in some of his songs), and in one of the songs that has a potty word he actually replaced it with another non-potty word. Maybe someone slipped him my letter and told him that I would eventually like to be able to have Jake go see him some day. Jake's favorite song is "No Such Thing". Jake would have LOVED this concert. But it will be years before that happens... (you will see why in a later picture..). Train (2nd time seeing them) opened up for him and they were awesome too. Before the concert started we were talking about who we have seen in concert. I kicked everyone's butt in that category. I am really going to have to make a list because it is pretty amusing the length of the list and who is on it....I will save that for another day. Here are a couple of pictures. We didn't have the greatest seats ever but we all were just happy to be there and the jumbo screen always helps.
Aaron, Me, Ranee (Happy Birthday! Going to the concert was both of our b-day gifts. But her b-day was just the day before it), and Jeremy.
John is really a big dork. He had on pants rolled up to show off his Carolina blue Chuck Taylor's and a bandanna head band on.
Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you choose a different path? This my friends is what the world looks like to those who make poor choices...
This poor women was so drunk she couldn't even hold her head up. To see an adult like this was pretty pitiful. She was not a dumb kid making dumb decisions. She was probably close to our age!..Glad I am where I am in my life! I hope she figures it all out some day poor women.2. And on a totally different subject. We have been doing some yard work. Mom and Dad we did some major trimming to the front yard bushes...
We did this at our house in Spartanburg and had wonderful results. Aaron tested it before he chopped them all. It opens it up SO much. There is beautiful stonework I didn't even realize was there!Aaron cut a few back and gave it a couple of weeks before cutting the rest. See it is already growing back!
Jake moving some bricks. Hope you don't mind Mom.... Aaron has big plans. Don't worry we won't do anything major until we talk to you. This little project seemed like a no-brainer so we just went for it! Those flower beds on either side of the front path only had one flower on each side that came back. We figured we are on a budget and so are you guys and flowers can get expensive. Especially to replant every year! So, it was either have one lone flower come up and the rest emptiness...or let those small spaces go back to being grass and make it easier to mow. We choose going back to grass...Sound good to you guys, right?...
Jake carrying the bushes to the curb. The funny part is about 20 minutes after we got done we heard the guys from the city out picking them up! Perfect timing!
The sweaty, dirty face of a boy who worked hard.
3. Just a random picture I love. Nothing says summer like Jake with an ice cream cone.
4. Aaron refers to bacon as "meat candy". Yep. That's my man! A bacon loving fool! I figure I document Jake's comments, so why not Aaron's? Especially when he comes up with a genius thing as "meat candy"! And that in a nut shell sums up a lot about Aaron. That makes him sound like he should be a 300 pound guy...Not what I meant because he isn't even close. I'm just pointing out that is the simple things that make his life good...He also made the comment he would love a bacon scented candle, after I said I wish they made Arm and Hammer plus Oxi-clean laundry detergent scented candles.
5. Getting ready for our trip! Aaron is starting his training which means I won't be able to work at Bi-Lo for about a month. (He will be at school or training from about 8 in the morning until around 10 at night. So, Jake and I get to take a trip North. We are going to spend not quite a week between Aaron's brother, Mike's home in Buena (sp?) Vista, VA and DC with my sister and family. Then we will be in Vermont at Camp for almost 2 weeks. Money is tight so we talked about it and Jake agreed it was worth it to go to Vermont to cash in our "Disney World Fund". We have been collecting change for years in hopes of making a trip there. This is what it looks like in the jar:
I have rolled $209 so far and have a BUNCH left still to count. So, it looks like the trip is going to be paid for with change! We don't have to pay for places to stay-just gas and food. The gross part is this:
This is what your hands look like after rolling coins...Yuck!6. It is funny that one of my favorite things to do in the summer, leads to one of my least favorite times. I love school supply shopping! I don't however like summer coming to an end and actually sending Jake back to school...It will work out at some point to home school him. But now isn't the time...So, we had fun shopping for all the stuff he needs! And he needs A LOT!
Jake was thrilled that he needed a "Case It" (basically a kid brief case) For his AIG math. (he didn't get high enough on the reading...bummer. He wasn't challenged in that area last year at all...Crossing my fingers for a better teacher this year in that department! But it was a 5th grade test and the fact that he got close is pretty amazing!) This is a Case It:
And something that I didn't have to have EVER in school: A USB drive (is that what you call it? I have used one...I just can't remember the name.)
This is all the stuff he needed and this only includes one thing from the optional list-tissues for the classroom.
8. And last but not least. Jake and I spent a couple of hours building with Legos the other morning. I started out making a robot and ended up making a flat and funny version of our family:
Aaron is the little guy...We ran out of bigger flat pieces. I also had a purse but it broke.Jake made an awesome tank. He let me pick out one of the people. That would be me on top and him driving. We are awesome builders Don't you think?
Meet My New Hair Stylist:
None other than Elizabeth Gariety the Jack of all trades! (Never really understood that saying but it works.)
I was back into my old "wear it in a pony tail every stinkin' day" phase so it was time for a chop. I have a hard time paying for haircuts. All my favorite haircuts have been free. Seriously. In high school I let my friend Chandler cut my hair after school one day. He was a good artist so I figured it would translate into my hair. It worked. At UNCG a friend of mine who was also a great artist cut it and did a fine job. In Utah my roommate was going to cosmetology school and needed a guinea pig. I obliged and loved it. My wonderful sister-in-law had her hair dresser cut my hair as my Christmas gift. She was a professional so it was awesome! And again no money out of my pocket. I however have a hard time going back after six weeks and doing it again. I am a cut-short-grow-it-as-long-as-I-can-stand-it-aholic. Look it up people. It exists. In my world at least. I will add it to the list of all my other odd habits and call it good. My latest stylist is none other than Elizabeth Gariety. You have seen her here before. We got our fake nails together. We have a strange love/hate relationship with the Twilight movies. We love them! And we love to pick a part all the crossing eyes scenes, cheesy lines that include the word "Spidermonkey", and the are you constipated or do you love him faces? We were Bella (the actress playing her) haters. She looks the part but, her acting abilities are questionable. But she didn't go crossed eyed once in Eclipse so she is growing on us. Would you agree Elizabeth?...Wait a minute....And I am bringing it back to what I was actually talking about right- now...Any way! I have been thinking about chopping my hair again and Elizabeth offered-so I am back to a short bob, and my neck is breathing a sigh of relief. I am convinced, though Aaron says it's not true, that I am losing my hair. Seriously! It feels so much thinner than it used to and that scares me. But that all so makes shorter do's work better for me. I still haven't taken the time to actually have Aaron take a pic of my new do so the, me holding the camera out, shots will have to do for now. Thanks go out to my new stylist extraordinaire Elizabeth!
The before...Really? Friends don't let friends go too long between cuts and have strange layers going on everywhere....
In the process...
And the Results....(drum roll please.....)So, I thought you would be able to see the back from this angle...
And the front from an oddly high angle...
Special thanks to our camera man Norb who took time out of getting ready for Scout camp to document this occasion. He took several others but I had to narrow it down. So, another words these are as good as it gets. (No offense Norb. I am not knocking your mad skills. Just the subject matter...me in some very unattractive angles. The ones I posted are already bad enough. And of course to our make-up artist Morgan who loved my make up compact and was awesome enough to see that one make up sponge is not as good as three. The littler piece you made me work great around my eyes! Thanks again for the make up tips! How cute is she???
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Feeling the need to empty my cluttered brain...Random thoughts
1. I love Arm and Hammer laundry detergent plus oxi-clean. It smells so good and when I open my closet, drawers, or linen closet it makes me happy.
2. Talking a walk on Tuesday mornings is not easy. It is garbage day and 90+ degree weather just makes the trash even stinkier. Jake holds his breath. Aaron said it is really bad running.
3. At the library today they gave us new cards because they have new designs. The kids ones are so much cooler looking than the adults. I was tempted to ask for the kiddo one but the librarian didn't seem like the type who would have gone for it.
4. Jake hugged me today and said wait a minute Mommy...he than hugged me again and said he could touch his hands together behind my back when he was hugging me so I must be losing more weight. I hope he is right because I am sitting with hair I can ring out again after walking 3 miles and I cheated and weighed myself yesterday and had gone down only 1 1/2 pounds...
5. Aaron starts his training tomorrow! Going to school full time and working 3rd shift full time is going to be tough...
6. I really miss my dogs.
7. I have been rolling our big jar of change to get ready for our trip to Virginia and Vermont (!!!) and it really is gross how dirty your fingers get touching all that change for long periods of time. Seriously gross.
8. I have not been swimming yet this year...That has got to be a major record for me because I LOVE to swim. Not like swim team swim...just for fun, splashing, playing, jumping in, and swimming across the lake fun. I can't wait to do it in a couple of weeks, every day all day!
9. Tina when we are visiting you guys in DC we have to go to the Lincoln Memorial. Apparently this is a life long unfulfilled dream of Jake's that he never told me about....Sounds good to me!
10. I am going to take a nice cold shower and get into some of my good smelling PJ's...Just hugged Jake good night and he smells delicious in his freshly cleaned PJ's. I am so glad that even though Jake is almost 9, he stills want us to put him to bed every night. Wonder when that will change...
11. We are going to the John Mayer concert on Friday and the girl from church who said she would watch Jake hasn't called my back....I hope she calls back...
2. Talking a walk on Tuesday mornings is not easy. It is garbage day and 90+ degree weather just makes the trash even stinkier. Jake holds his breath. Aaron said it is really bad running.
3. At the library today they gave us new cards because they have new designs. The kids ones are so much cooler looking than the adults. I was tempted to ask for the kiddo one but the librarian didn't seem like the type who would have gone for it.
4. Jake hugged me today and said wait a minute Mommy...he than hugged me again and said he could touch his hands together behind my back when he was hugging me so I must be losing more weight. I hope he is right because I am sitting with hair I can ring out again after walking 3 miles and I cheated and weighed myself yesterday and had gone down only 1 1/2 pounds...
5. Aaron starts his training tomorrow! Going to school full time and working 3rd shift full time is going to be tough...
6. I really miss my dogs.
7. I have been rolling our big jar of change to get ready for our trip to Virginia and Vermont (!!!) and it really is gross how dirty your fingers get touching all that change for long periods of time. Seriously gross.
8. I have not been swimming yet this year...That has got to be a major record for me because I LOVE to swim. Not like swim team swim...just for fun, splashing, playing, jumping in, and swimming across the lake fun. I can't wait to do it in a couple of weeks, every day all day!
9. Tina when we are visiting you guys in DC we have to go to the Lincoln Memorial. Apparently this is a life long unfulfilled dream of Jake's that he never told me about....Sounds good to me!
10. I am going to take a nice cold shower and get into some of my good smelling PJ's...Just hugged Jake good night and he smells delicious in his freshly cleaned PJ's. I am so glad that even though Jake is almost 9, he stills want us to put him to bed every night. Wonder when that will change...
11. We are going to the John Mayer concert on Friday and the girl from church who said she would watch Jake hasn't called my back....I hope she calls back...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Jake's Summer Vacation Interview Part 2: Day 32..Seriously? Where is the Summer going???
Me: How is your summer going?
Jake: Fantastic!
Me: Can you explain the following pictures please?
Jake: Me in a tent in the Sunroom.
Me: Why is the tent in the Sunroom?
Jake: Because we were having a slumber party.
Playing with Bionicles.
That's my answer for the next picture too. (I am playing too see my hand?)
Mommy's squished face.
My squished face. (Looks like Scabbers-or Peter Petigrew for any of you Harry Potter fans like us.)
That's us smiling.
Me: Smiling?
Jake: Yeah remember crazy smiling.
Sad faces.
Super Hero pose
Mommy's super hero pose.
Me running in.
Me in the tent in my room.
Showing my set up.
Me and Daddy.
Me: So, would you say I am the coolest Mom ever for letting you have a tent in your room?
Jake:Yep!
Me: Okay, just a couple more pictures to explain.
Jake: Rock Band (we are borrowing Matt and Erin's Rock Band stuff while they are gone for the summer and we rented Beatles Rock Band)
Warning stinky trash! MUST PLUG NOSE! P.U.! I throw away!
Me: What are you looking forward to for the rest of the summer?
Jake: CAMP! (We are going to Vermont in a couple of weeks and can't wait!!!! More on that later)
Jake: Fantastic!
Me: Can you explain the following pictures please?
Jake: Me in a tent in the Sunroom.
Me: Why is the tent in the Sunroom?
Jake: Because we were having a slumber party.
Playing with Bionicles.
That's my answer for the next picture too. (I am playing too see my hand?)
Mommy's squished face.
My squished face. (Looks like Scabbers-or Peter Petigrew for any of you Harry Potter fans like us.)
That's us smiling.Me: Smiling?
Jake: Yeah remember crazy smiling.
Sad faces.
Super Hero pose
Mommy's super hero pose.
Me running in.
Me in the tent in my room.
Showing my set up.
Me and Daddy.
Me: So, would you say I am the coolest Mom ever for letting you have a tent in your room?
Jake:Yep!
Me: Okay, just a couple more pictures to explain.
Jake: Rock Band (we are borrowing Matt and Erin's Rock Band stuff while they are gone for the summer and we rented Beatles Rock Band)
Warning stinky trash! MUST PLUG NOSE! P.U.! I throw away!
Me: What are you looking forward to for the rest of the summer?Jake: CAMP! (We are going to Vermont in a couple of weeks and can't wait!!!! More on that later)
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