Sick again!

I think this stress is going to be the death of me.

I think I have a sinus infection or perhaps Strep again.

I don't want to go to the doctor again.

But then again, I really need to get better quick...

Dangit!!

Randomly Random...

I've got extreme A.D.D. it feels like. I can't keep my thoughts together and remember what I'm doing from one minute to the next.

A couple of years ago we had rented a car from Enterprise. We had the choice between a Dodge Derango or the Dodge Caravan. I asked the guy which got better gas mileage and he said they were the same. LIAR! We stopped for gas so much it was insane! The drive from NC to NY took 6 trips to the gas pump! So when we returned the car, I told them so and they gave me a certificate for a free weekend rental. Sweet! I recently FOUND said certificate and am hoping to use it next weekend so we have an extra car for graduation weekend. The only problem? I keep forgetting to go to Enterprise to book it! I went today and they closed at noon! Monday is a holiday, Sunday they are closed, I mean, who does that???

All of the painting is done. Hallelujah!!!

I had a nightmare last night about the graduation ceremony. First, the kids kept scattering. One dad got up and did a whole rapping song and dance while his son (the graduate) walked off the stage, got changed and left. Nick kept wandering off and getting rid of his cap and gown, my family was loud and disruptive, there were hardly any chairs set up...on and on it went and I'd wake up and when I went back to sleep it would pick up right where I left off!! Next thing I know we're looking out the church window and there is Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster from Disney World and we're all arguing over who is going to go on it! Crazy!

Nick was home for dinner tonight for the first time in a while and we went to the Pork store (Italian Butcher) to get some fresh Italian sausage for dinner. The guy that owns this place looks a LOT like my dad. Same height, build, similar facial features and his EXACT mannerisms. It's a little bit scary.

Why did I plan such a big graduation party? Sure it all seemed like a good idea at the time but now that it's getting closer I am FREAKING out! And not a little freaking out, a whole lotta freaking out. I mean, I have people arriving on Thursday and Friday, three trips to the airport, extra meals for all these extra people...I have no idea how I'm going to recover financially from all of this. This party IS Nick's gift but I still wish I could have actually given him something else. But...in all fairness...after a weekend with the whole family, well, the memories and the stories will be gift enough.

I ate a dozen Enteman's chocolate chip cookies today.

They weren't on the diet plan.

I played Powerball for the first time today. We'll see if we actually get even remotely close to winning. What was that old Lotto line? You gotta be in it to win it...I deserve to win something here!!

Even a chick-flick won't do...

A year ago today, my beloved little bookstore closed. We went in to work that morning with the mission of closing it's doors forever. It was very hard - mentally and physically - because it was an end of an era and an end of my best friend's hard work.

Today, I helped that same friend pack up her house. Again, it was mentally and physically hard. I didn't realize the dates until we were standing in the driveway hugging and she mentioned it. I'm sad. I'm sad for me, I'm sad for my friend, my girl, my Beeg. Michelle.

This move, I believe, is going to be a good thing for her and her family. Her husband got a promotion and so they are moving a little over two hours away from here. Starting over fresh someplace new can be a huge blessing; I know it changed my life for the better when we left New York and moved to North Carolina.

So we went today, our girl Danette and I, to help Michelle on this moving day by cleaning her house. There was no time to sit and chat, no time to reminisce. There was a schedule to keep, things had to get done. We watched the contents of her home get loaded on to a truck while we dusted, vacuumed and mopped. The distraction was a good thing for me. I was able to detach myself from the reality of what was going on. My girl is moving away.

In the year since the bookstore closed, we haven't seen each other as much as we used to. Life has a way of getting in the way. But no matter how much time between our girls night's out or lunches, we could still sit down and laugh ourselves silly and never run out of things to say. We made each other crazy at times and couldn't understand each other at others due to our very different accents! She is a total Southern girl and I am a New Yorker - after one trip up to New York to visit family, I came home and called her to tell her what had gone on and after about two minutes she was like "Wait a minute! I can't understand a word you're saying!" I was totally back in NY mode! She had funny southern sayings that made no sense to me. We made a good team.

The silver lining here? I have a place on the coast to visit. Two hours is not a bad amount of time to drive to see a friend. The bad thing? She's not here...and I'm sad.

With my nose pressed to the glass...

So after yesterday's post about the weather...I have been vindicated!! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and it is hotter than any human being can stand BUT my porch is in the process of being painted!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!!!

True, it's 3:30 in the afternoon and we just now got back from the paint store but yes, it IS getting painted. Yippee!!! Seriously, I am almost giddy at this point. Frank is going to make me close the front door so that I stop pressing my face up against the storm door as I watch him with a big, stupid grin on my face. Oh, how I love having a big, stupid grin on my face!!

PLUS, as if that wasn't reason enough to smile, I went shopping today and found not one, but THREE dresses for Nick's graduation. No, I don't plan on pulling a Celine Dion and having costume changes every couple of minutes, but I was shopping at Ross and found three dresses - one was $12.99, one was $14.99 and the last one was $27.99. I mean, I could quite realistically keep all THREE of them but I don't want to seem greedy. Maybe...I don't know.

Thursday is a really good day!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...NOT!

Right now the sun is shining and it looks absolutely beautiful outside. But you know what I have come to notice? Every time I step foot out my door, it starts to rain! Honestly, I'm thinking of pricing an ark because clearly, it's never going to end with this rain.

Normally, I don't mind the rain so much but when you have 7 days to get a BUNCH of outside work done, it gets really, really annoying. You cannot paint in the rain. You can not (really) mow your lawn in the rain. Heck, I don't even like walking to my car in the rain - so I can't even feasibly run errands!

Mother Nature needs to just CUT IT OUT!!!

Graduation Update...

Yesterday was our last "official" graduation planning meeting. I really, really, REALLY did not want to go or lead it, but our graduation mentor (who is AWESOME!) talked me down from the ledge a couple of days ago and I went on as usual. It was only slightly painful.

The mom's were pretty well-behaved which was a HUGE improvement over the last few meetings but at one point we were getting up to go and look at the size of the sanctuary of the church we are using and see how the chairs were arranged when one of the grads came up to me. He's like "I have a question..." To be honest, he's had a lot of questions in the last couple of months because his mom wasn't attending and he tends to be rather condescending. So I'm like "What's up?" Well, he goes in to this whole schpeel about the cost of everything and how on some paper we gave out in the beginning states that we are only going to pay out somewhere between $50-$75 and so far we have spent more than that.

Okay, first things first...ever heard of the ECONOMY? Um...unless you've been living under a rock for the last two, maybe three, years, the cost of EVERYTHING has gone up. The guideline sheet was written like two years ago. And really, they are GUIDELINES, not written in stone with a guarantee! So luckily, a bunch of the mom's heard him and came up to chime in. Gotta love some of these ladies! So then HIS mom, who finally put in an appearance, looks at me and is like "Well SOME of us are budget conscious!" Well, this brought out some comments from a lot of people about how they were ALL budget conscious due to unemployment and spouses being out of work and then we went on to actually READ the sheet that she and her son were referring to and at the point of where a cost was mentioned, it did NOT cover (or mention) half of what we have paid for. So the mom started to threaten that she was going to go over our heads (so to speak) to our group's chairman to complain. I mean, maybe if she had showed up half of the time, she would have had the right to complain - or maybe voice her concerns about the costs, but she chose not to. Two weeks before the ceremony is NOT the time to start a war over this. AND...teach your child some manners, too! I have watched my son get verbally attacked by some of these women and he has NEVER taken a tone with them that showed disrespect.

Well, we all walked away and went on with the rest of the meeting and when I got home, one of the mom's had already sent out an e-mail to the group that was so wonderful, so encouraging and yet firm, essentially telling people of all of the BLESSINGS that we have been given and how much MORE all of this could have cost and that we should be focused on THAT instead of complaining! I was thrilled. I mean, I almost cried because I felt that finally, other people had had enough of the nonsense. I sort of felt vindicated.

Ten more days...ten more days...

And this is why I shouldn't be allowed to watch TV...

I HATE the show "The Apprentice". I mean, I actually loathe it. The celebrity version is even more annoying. BUT...I love me some Brett Michaels and so I had to watch the finale of Celebrity Apprentice last night.

Now, don't get me wrong, I could not watch the entire thing. I just couldn't do it. I sort of sat there with my remote flipping through channels when the show got a little too annoying. I felt as if it was way too dragged out and when Cindy Lauper got up to sing, I just couldn't watch it.

For those of you who have been keeping up with celebrity news, you know that Brett Michaels has had a LOT of medical problems lately. First there was the emergency appendectomy. Then there was the brain hemorrhage. I was very upset over that and even blogged about it. He came through that and then he had a mini stroke and the doctor's found a hole in his heart. All this on TOP of the fact that he is a diabetic. Having said all that...it was nothing short of a miracle that the man walked on to the set of the Celebrity Apprentice finale. He did and he was awesome.

SPOILER ALERT - TURN BACK IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHO WON...

I sat through the two hours, for the most part and was rewarded with my man Brett winning. YEAH!!! Keep on rocking, Brett!!! So why shouldn't I be allowed to watch TV? Because in my joyous celebration of my Poison frontman being victorious, I posted it as my status on Facebook - totally unaware that my friends on the West Coast had not SEEN it yet. I spoiled the finale for a couple of them.

Sorry guys!!

And the second doctor said...

So the whole toe thing was freaking me out yesterday. We don't have medical insurance so things have to be serious for us to up and go to the doctor. The CVS here in town has a "Minute Clinic" that is very reasonable and I've used them before so off I went.

The doctor looked at my toe and was like "Huh...that's really strange". Not comforting words from a medical professional. Long story short, she had no idea what was going on, it seemed like bleeding under the skin, no idea why since there are no puncture marks of any kind and referred me to an Urgent Care where they could do an x-ray. She did not charge me for the visit.

Okay, so feeling a little bit better since there was nothing "obviously" wrong, I went and did a little food shopping because we were having company over for dinner. By the time I got home, my toe was throbbing, swollen and nearly black.

Now I'm concerned.

Frank puts me back in the car and we go to the Urgent Care. Doctor number two now comes in and looks at it, thinks it's weird, blah, blah, blah, and decides to do an x-ray. A few minutes later, he comes back, there's nothing there. I've bruised my toe.

REALLY???

Can somebody explain to me how that is even possible when I felt a pinching when I stepped on the mystery object and then swelling? What the hell did I step on? Why would it bruise like this? When I think of bruising, it's normally from bumping in to something ( or something bumping in to me!). I'm so frustrated and $170 later, I still have no answers.

I have to try and stay off of it, take some Advil, call them if it gets worse. Um, I don't think so. I think next time I'll find a non-medical-type person and let them diagnose because clearly, they'd say the same thing and be stumped too.

Stupid toe...

I think the Universe is plotting against me...

With the clock ticking on the countdown to graduation, it has been like pulling teeth around here to get Frank to do the remainder of the things that need to be done around the house. All that is left is power washing the house and painting the front porch.

What's the delay? Let's see, there's been rain, rain and more rain, then he fell off of a ladder the other day and hurt himself and then...you guessed it, more rain. COME ON!!! We are so dang close to being done and now it's like it is never going to happen.

Yesterday I was doing a cleaning job with a friend and I was sweeping the kitchen floor and I was barefoot because, well, I just was, and I stepped on something. It was like "Ow" for a second and then when I moved my foot to walk, it felt like there was something on my big toe. I wiped down my foot, walked and it still felt like there was something there. So I sat, I looked at there was no mark, no redness, no puncture, no bite mark, no cut, nothing...but it HURT. It took until almost dinner time for it to feel normal - I had soaked it twice.

This morning I woke up and now, said toe is all black and purple on one side! What in the world?? It doesn't hurt, I can move it. I'm not sure if I'm going to the doctor but I've gotta tell you, I'm a little concerned...

I can deal with the black toe, just please wash the damn house!!!

This one's for Jenn...

Jenn over at "My Kids are my World" encouraged me to share the recipe for my Shepherd's Pie. I was never a huge fan of Shepherd's Pie while I was growing up but I found this recipe for it in a Weight Watcher's magazine and I have to tell you, I LOVE it!!

Okay so here it is:
1 pound of lean ground beef (93 or 95% fat free)
1 bag (12-16 oz) of frozen mixed veggies (corn, peas, carrots, green beans)
1 can (14 oz) of diced tomatoes w/garlic, oregano and basil
1 can (6-8 oz) of salt-free tomato sauce
1 package of ready made mashed potatoes (Like Simply Potatoes)

Optional items: 1 tsp. minced garlic and 1/2 cup of chopped onions

This is so quick, it's crazy! You brown the ground beef, add the veggies and the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Simmer and place in to 4 ceramic Ramekins that you have lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Prepare/heat the mashed potatoes per package instructions and place in 1/2 cup servings on top of the beef mixture in the Ramekin and smooth out to look like a pie crust. Place the four bowls on a baking sheet and place under the broiler until the potatoes turn slightly browned.

Very yummy! Enjoy!!

Wonder Woman in the Kitchen...

Yesterday was a hectic day for me. Up at 6:15 to get Michael ready for school, MOPS from 8:30-12:15. One of the teacher's left her sweater at the church where we held the MOPS meeting and so I brought it to her at the local high school, went to yet ANOTHER supermarket in search of a cake (no luck), came home, ate lunch, waited for Michael to get home (he had early release) and then we drove to Raleigh and hit A.C. Moore's, Michael's and Archiver's in search of accessories for the cake to try and save some money. We ate an early dinner and then at 6:00 we were at our small group meeting which we left at 8:00 to head to Walmart for me to get food to make some meals for a friend.

We got home here around 8:35 and I had to make sure Michael was in the shower, I received two phone calls and then finally, FINALLY I was able to start cooking at 9:15. I have to admit, I was a pretty even combination of exhausted and energized. I guess the energized won out because exactly one hour later, I was exiting a CLEAN kitchen after making two trays of beef enchiladas, a huge batch of turkey chili and a batch of Shepherd's Pie. I impressed the heck out of myself.

Each tray of enchiladas should yield two dinners, the turkey chili will serve up 10-12 bowls/servings and the Shepherd's Pie will do 4 servings (and is my personal favorite). Now I can bless my friend AND have dinner for my family for a couple of nights. Not too shabby for Stace...

But all I want is some cake...

So when we were planning the graduation party, we let Nick and Beckah decide on their kind of cake and design it. It was pretty cool and I was so excited to have it made. I have a good friend who does cakes and we approached her to do it. Well, she had a scheduling conflict and so I had to find someone else.

Not as easy as you'd think.

If I still lived in NY this probably would not be an issue. Here in NC, at least by where I live, there aren't hardly any real bakeries. So what have I done so far? Okay, after my friend, I had another friend refer me to her neighbor. She could not do it. She referred me to one of HER neighbors, who hasn't called me back. I went to a local bakery (one of two here in town) but they are going out of business. The local Super Target does NOT do tiered cakes, nor do the Harris Teeter's. I had one consultation with the other bakery and they were on board with what I wanted but their head baker was out of town and so they could not give me a price.

I put the word out on Facebook and got several referrals but haven't had the opportunity to get prices yet. KILLING ME!!!

A Bullet in the Foot Would be Less Painful Than This...

With three weeks until graduation, you'd think it would have all been done. Like I'd seen it all, done it all, dealt with it all and bought the t-shirt. But no. Apparently, there are some that are willing to just keep things going until everyone else around them is praying for their own horrific death's just so that they don't have to deal with this anymore.

I am at that point.

When the process started, there were a few blips on the radar - crazy mom's with crazy requests - but for the most part they were harmless. As the year has progressed I have witnessed behavior that has been shocking and honestly, if someone had been video taping, we could be a viral sensation on YouTube.

My mindset from the get-go was that this day is about the grads. Yes, we are homeschooler's and we, as the parents, have worked hard to get to this day, but you know what? WE ARE PARENTS! It is our JOB to work hard! I've mentioned in a previous post that I had one mom scream that this is HER day - not her son's. REALLY??? So now, same crazy-self-absorbed-self-righteous-pain-in-my-butt has a new mission: To ruin everyone's day. Seriously, it seems to be her goal. Because really, the 19 families that are graduating should really just be celebrating HER - no one else.

Her latest mission is on a 30-second (maybe less) of a song that is being considered as the recessional song. The kids were not allowed to choose ANYTHING in this ceremony so we compromised about their exit. They are going to personalize it and exit in a fun manner. Well, that was not acceptable to this woman. We nominated three songs and started the voting process. She did not like the song that was in the lead and so started contacting me to complain. After two e-mails and a phone call, she put it out there to the group with HER recommendations for music. Again, REALLY?

I handed in my resignation last night to our graduation mentor. I'm done. My son will graduate as planned but as for me as the coordinator, I'm done. We have a meeting on Monday and if I have to sit and look at this heinous excuse for a mother, someone better break out the video camera because I would have to let her know what a sorry human being she is and that she ruined 18 other families graduation by being selfish.

Twenty Pounds Lighter!

It's official...I have lost twenty pounds here on my Weight Watchers journey. As of this morning's meeting, I have lost 20.6 pounds. Not too shabby.

The thing is, I probably could have lost a lot more but this last month has been a slump for me. I just don't have the same enthusiasm that I had in the beginning. I would have loved to be 5 pounds further along but it's my own fault. Well, that and having what seems like a non-stop run of eating out/parties/whatnot that had me eating things that I should not.

So, with three weeks till graduation, I can only pray that I can drop those pesky five pounds and feel like I accomplished something that I wanted.

Just Curious...

Okay, here's a little survey that I need some answers to. Below are the lyrics to a song. Does anyone find them morally offensive? Seriously, I am curious....

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead!
Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world
(Ohhh)

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
(Ohhhhh Ohhh Ohhh)

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

And the beat goes on...

Three weeks till graduation!!! AAHHHH.....

This weekend we're going to be full-blown out in the yard. Last night we tilled a couple of beds so that it would (or SHOULD) kill the weeds and then we are going to mulch them. I bought a butterfly bush and another little shrub to plant, as well. Right now my front porch looks like a jungle!

After that we are grinding all of the paint off of the porch in preparation of painting it! I think I am looking forward to that the most because the porch has been nothing but a mass of peeling paint for years and it always makes me cringe!

Oh, and here's something that has been making me crazy...curtains! Yes, curtains. I am looking to replace my kitchen curtains and need valances in a light, cornflower blue. Does anyone, anywhere have such a thing? Apparently not. Killing me!!

Tomorrow I'm planning on having Nick do windows. He doesn't know it yet, but that is my plan for him. I mean, we're doing all of this for HIS graduation and he's the only one that isn't really contributing to the home improvements. Typical teenager. Although, I got two new dining room chairs from Amazon.com the other day and they came fully assembled and all Michael has really been doing is playing with the box! He's 10 and he STILL gets a kick out of playing with a box! I don't get it.

Well, off to dig, rake, mulch and grind....Happy Saturday, Everyone!!

When Your Heart Gets Hardened...

I am a pretty emotional person. I feel other people's pain and want nothing more than to help someone in need. I am an excellent listener and always try to encourage people. It's not limited to my family or close friends, I feel that way for everyone. I cry at stories I see on TV, I've prayed for people I don't even know.

There's someone in my life right now who is on the brink of...well, their life is pretty much a complete mess. Their marriage is over, the relationship that they were in since their separation is over, their business is closing, they are broke and they've pretty much isolated most the people who truly cared about them and sent them away. I know for me, personally, it's been about a year since we've spoken - though I've reached out several times, I've been turned away at every opportunity.

So last night a I get a call from a mutual acquaintance who tells me all of this person's woes and I'm told that they're suicidal. I'm not sure I'm buying that one; I mean, some people enjoy being drama queens and this situation that this person is in was brought on by nobody but themselves. It's kind of hard to feel sorry for someone who continually screws up their own lives. I guess my issue is with me. My heart. I'm being told that someone that I love is devastated and suicidal and I felt nothing. No tears, no sympathy, nothing. I was annoyed that I was even having to hear about their complaints.

Something's seriously wrong here. With me...I hate to think that my heart has gotten so hardened that I don't care if someone dies or not. No, there's definitely something wrong here...

Brick Magic Lego Convention

On Mother's Day, Michael and I went in to Raleigh to the Brick Magic Lego Convention. My boy LOVES Legos - and really, don't we all? There were some AMAZING creations that I just wanted to share!

This first one was amazing to me because it is Main Street USA from the Magic Kingdom at Disney World! How cool is that! You would have to have a LOT of spare time on your hands to create such a thing! We only spent an hour there but we got enough of a thrill just out of walking passed some of these wonders! You'll have to excuse the layout - Blogger is making it difficult for me!

What NOT to do at 2:14 A.M.

I am not a late night person. Sure, on occasion I can stay up late but on a weeknight, I am normally in the bed by 11. Last night I think I crawled in to bed at 11:20 and fell right to sleep.

Sometime later, Frank comes to bed and starts talking to me. "Stace? Stacey?" So I'm like "WHAT??" I mean, clearly there must be some kind of an emergency for him to be waking me up. "What time did Nick say he was going to be home?"

Let me just sidebar here for a moment. The boy is now 18 and has a license. He is done with school. I was never big on curfews because he never went anywhere. Lately, he's been staying out late - and late normally meant around 11:30. A couple of times he's come in after midnight. We're going to have to talk about the definition of "late" later on today.

I told him that Nick had merely stated that he would be home late. So he's like "Well, it's after 2 and I'm kind of tired and I don't know where he is." I rolled over, glad that it was dark in there because the glare I was shooting at him could quite possibly have killed him. "Did you CALL him?" I asked. "No." Now I'm fully awake. "And so you thought it would be better to wake me up at two in the morning rather than call Nick and see exactly where the hell he is. Is that what you're saying?"

Well, he DID finally call him after I threatened to smother him with a pillow and then got up to get myself a drink because it was 2:14 in the damn morning and now I was worried about where the hell Nick was!

There is SO going to be a discussion on curfews in my house today...

Mother's Day Recovery...

So it's Monday and I am totally in recovery mode from the hooplah that was Mother's Day.

I started out the day at church working as a children's ministry greeter. It was WILD! I was greeting, cutting out craft stuff, making snack trays for the classrooms...on and on it went! Got home and Nick got me two beautiful ferns for my front porch! I wanted those so much and was thrilled that he remembered. His beautiful girlfriend bought me a Mickey Mouse platter - I cannot wait to use it! Michael made me a sweet card that he did in school and the best part was where it said "My mom and I like to..." and he wrote "Eat Chinese food because it is so good and to go to Disney World because it's so fun there." THEN the he drew a picture of me and him in front of the castle and below that is a drawing of the two of us eating Chinese food on our TV trays like we do on our date nights! How sweet is that?

After lunch we drove in to Raleigh because Frank needed some drum sticks and Michael and I went to a Lego Convention! It was so cool - I'll post pictures of it tomorrow. After that we went to Lowes and bought a new ceiling fan for the living room (which Frank installed as soon as we got home) and mulch for the yard. After that we (really, they) worked like fiends to put a dent in my Graduation "To Do" list. I love my guys!!!

We topped off the day with some Chinese food (surprise, surprise) for dinner and I got to sit and watch the finale of "The Amazing Race" is peace. It was an awesome day. I hope all of you mom's out there had a great day too!

Happy Mother's Day!!

I have to say, this is probably one of the best Mother's Day's that I've had in a long time! Nick got me some hanging ferns for the front porch that I have been wanting...so excited!! Michael made me a beautiful card and Frank "let" me go and get some new clothes! He also is unaware of the purchase of 2 new kitchen chairs that I've purchased...shhh...it's a secret!

Anyway, the three men in my life are also giving me the gift of their time this Mother's Day. With all of the graduation hooplah, I am desperately trying to get things done around here and so today we will tackle a portion of my list. Nick has stayed home today and I am just thrilled to have us all together. But before we tackle the chores, I am taking Michael to the Lego convention here in Raleigh. Mom's get in free today and he is a HUGE Lego fan and so I thought it would fun to take him there.

So have a wonderful Mother's Day, everyone! May your day be blessed!!

Life May Never be the Same...

I lead a fairly active life. I have a lot of friends and am constantly on the go or doing something. My friends mean the world to me. So last week I found out something that upset me so much...I wanted to cry. I was sitting and talking with a friend when she announced to me that she is moving away.

Yes, my hairdresser is moving away!!

Ha, I bet some of you thought I was speaking of someone else, but NO, I am speaking of my hairdresser/eyebrow torturer, my friend, Melody. She is moving to New Jersey to get married to her high school sweetheart who she hadn't seen in almost 20 years or something and they reconnected on Facebook! Love it or hate it, Facebook makes things happen! Anyway, she tells me this WHILE ripping the hot wax off of my face and I was just so sad - selfishly. This is a great thing for her and I am happy for her, but selfishly, I want her to stay. I want this guy to move here because I don't want her to go. I want her to keep doing my hair and whatnot. I know there are other hairdressers and that someone else at the salon would be more than willing to rip hot wax off of my face but really, when someone tortures you like that twice a month, you bond.

Now I have to start the bonding process all over again. I'd been going there for more than 5 years. She's doing my highlights for me this weekend and she'll still be here to do my hair and eyebrows for the graduation but then that's it. She's gone.

Bummer..

A Celebration of Life!

I was on Facebook early this morning (surprise, surprise) and my nephew had his status about his being 6 years cancer free as of today. Can I just say PRAISE GOD!!! I mean, that is an awesome thing to be celebrating.

He's 21, he's amazing, he is my godchild. When he was diagnosed with Leukemia our whole family was just numb. I was devastated because we lived so far away and could not be there to support him as well as my sister. For the two (maybe three) years that he endured chemo treatments and all of the hell that goes with that, he was an inspiration. I don't think I ever met anyone that was going through so much and still had a sweet personality and the will to smile.

So here is to my godchild, Justin. I feel blessed to be your aunt and so thankful to God that you are here today and healthy. I love you!!

It wasn't the only reason I was there, but...

So I'm working at MOPS today and was flitting around here and there and I'm telling you, I got a lot of compliments! Seriously, I got compliments on my weight loss, my hair (which I just colored) and really, I was floating on a damn cloud and feeling all kinds of sassy!

Yes, it's shallow and all that because I was there working for the ministry and I was having a great time having people tell me how good I looked! It's not right, I tell you and yet...It just felt SO GOOD!!

What is wrong with me??? Oh, and here's something to think about, I have had several people tell me that my butt looks smaller and out of all of my body flaws, I never had an issue with my butt, but suddenly I do! I mean, how big was it before I started Weight Watchers??

So, I left there at noon, feeling really good about me and yet really bad about me at the same time. I loved the compliments and I'm glad that people are starting to notice the change in me and yet...petty and shallow.

Not a good combination...

He's finally on board...

Frank and I are so opposite at times that it is scary. I am a list maker, Frank does not plan anything. I like things done RIGHTNOW, while Frank has to be mentally prepared before he does even the smallest of tasks. So as we (or I) have been planning and prepping for this graduation, I knew the things that I wanted to get done before everyone comes in for the party. I was prepared to do battle and yell, scream, whine and whatnot go get Frank on board.

I did not have to.

In the last couple of days he has put in two new shelves in the kitchen, FINALLY talked to the landlord about our slowly sinking bathroom, cleaned the yard, repaired the ramp that leads to our shed...I mean, the man is all over it for me.

God I love him!!!

Here's to the Future!

So in my mad dashing around to prepare for all-things-graduation, I had the opportunity to go with the grads on their picture day and then I never got to post any of the pictures. Blogger was giving me issues! Here are my two beautiful grads...looking towards their future together.

Sigh.

Oy...I'm old!

So with five weeks to go until the graduation I am officially in panic mode - trying to accomplish all kinds of things to make everything look nice. That means every project that I have even THOUGHT about in the last ten years, needs to be done by the graduation.

Today's project involved going out and buying a new lawn mower. Why? I mean, we had one; it was old, but it worked. Sort of. Nick normally does the mowing but lately, he's away from home. A LOT. So if I don't want to have to use a machete to get to my car, I really should mow the darn lawn myself. We went to Lowe's, talked to a very nice salesman and VOILA! We now, for the first time in our almost 22 years together, have a brand-spanking-new lawn mower. Yippee!!

We got it home, Frank got it set up and away I went. Now, I didn't pick one of those sissy, self-propelled mowers. Well, actually, I really, really, REALLY wanted one but it was a lot more money so we got a lovely mulching push-mower. It was 90 degrees outside and I decide that I HAVE to mow the lawn. I mean, we have the technology, so I must do it.

Oy.

I drank about five glasses of water and felt as if I'd had SEVERAL heart attacks but...My lawn looks beautiful!! I'm sure tomorrow I am going to be cursing the day I was born because really, I'm too old and out of shape for this. I had to stop more times than I care to admit to.

Let's see what the morning brings...

...and they never showed

So after last night's special family version of "Cops", no one showed up here. I have to say, I'm not sure if I'm relieved or angry. I could no longer stay awake and wait so I was in bed by 11:30.

We found out from a friend that there were indeed check points set up because A.) there was a prom somewhere, B.) someone had complained about teenagers smashing mailboxes and C.) our governor is sort of getting aggressive because there have been so many teen driving deaths recently. While I appreciate that they're trying to stop drunk driving and whatnot, there was no need for this guy to threaten my son or scare the crap out of him.

So for now he's out driving around but I can guarantee that he might take a different way home tonight.

Waiting for the flashing lights...

So here I am sitting on the bed at 10:30 on a Saturday night when I hear Nick get home. He comes in to my room and he's clearly got something on his mind. I can read my son like a book.

"What's up?" I asked and he goes on to tell me how he got pulled over tonight - well, not pulled over, exactly, the cops had set up a check point so he had no choice but to stop. Now, if there is one thing about my son that I know for a fact it is that he FREAKS OUT easily. He gets nervous, and shaky and in general, you can tell that he is scared.

So the cop sees this behavior and pretty much starts threatening my son. "Why you talking like that, Nick? You live at this address, Nick? Maybe I'll just come by there and check it out, Nick!" I mean, REALLY??? Has this guy like NEVER made someone nervous? He starts telling Nick that clearly his behavior has to do with the fact that he's on something and has weed hidden in the car! WTF is that about?

Now I've got Frank pacing the house, wanting to go down to the police station but he knows that HE'LL end up getting thrown in jail for losing his temper with a cop.

sigh.

So what do you do? Do you file a complaint with the police or just let it go? I think these check points should be illegal because it is ENTRAPMENT!!!