Saturday, September 11, 2010

A new post?

It's finally time for a new post. I've thought about what to write and planned a few sentences but so far it's not working out the way I like. So... starting from scratch...

It's a quiet Saturday afternoon. Brandon is with Addi for the afternoon and then babysitting in the evening. Seth helped me at work this afternoon and we got it all done in record time. Buster is snoozing in his crate - his choice of sleeping place. And I am sitting here eating marshmallows. Planning to bake a texas cake brownie in a few minutes... planning dinner (hamburgers on the grill)... cleaning the kitchen... the usual Saturday stuff.

Football season is in full swing. Brandon is doing great for his first season. He's number 22, third from the left in the picture below.














More soon, I promise!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Random Saturday Thoughts

Hmmm not really planning to write but feels like I should since it's been more than a week. The dog is snoozing at my feet. The boys are playing Xbox and not fighting! Mike is on his way home from work. Gave the dog a bath. I should have worked on baby quilts but haven't yet.

A few photos I haven't posted before from the trip to Woldhuis Farms in March.


Brandon really liked the pallet mover with his last name on it. Takes little to amuse that boy!


Friday, May 28, 2010

Last Friday of May

I took today as a vacation day and will therefore have a 4-day weekend! I've only checked work email once so far.

Yesterday was our 9th anniversary and we celebrated with Pizza Hut with the boys. Brandon wished us a happy anniversary and I responded "Happy anniversary to you too." He had a puzzled look on his face so I said "Happy anniversary of becoming my son!" He rolled his 14-year old eyes and grinned.

We're going to take a drive this afternoon and just look at the countryside. Happy Friday everyone!!

Thursday, May 20, 2010

stream of consciousness

The last day of school is looming over me like a giant tower waitin to fall. I'm not looking forward to summer wtih the boys at home. Fortunately Brandon will have football camp starting in a couple of weeks... although I'm not sure I'm ready to be a high school football mom. My youngest in high school?? And it seems so strange to think about football when the summer hasn't even started yet.

I think of football in terms of cool drizzling Friday nights... back in 1983. Wearing Saxon scarlet and columbia blue (we couldn't just be fire-engine-red and light blue!). Everything had to be red and blue... and so much better if you wore a Saxon football jersey and had matching ribbons in your hair and matching laces in your Nikes. Rarely sitting in the bleachers, we had to circle the field all during the game... to see and be seen. Oh the memories... Even at the time I knew that I would have been content to sit on the bleachers and concentrate on the game, but as a girl that was not looked kindly upon. Girls weren't supposed to care about the details during the game... just whether we win or lose.

I am looking toward a rather bland day. It's 8:10am and I have already caught up on work email, read a few blogs, talked with a co-worker, and now I really don't have much to do. I guess I can look forward to lunch... I did brown bag it today.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Favorites - Music at Work

I should be able to carry this thread out for awhile.. but today my new favorite radio station is Broadway Love Songs on AccuRadio.com. I think it's a new guilty pleasure but the guilt hasn't kicked in yet. LOL

Reception at my desk it to iffy to have a radio at my desk but we can use online music and headphones so when I need to tune out the office noise I use AccuRadio.com. There are so many options of music to choose from, and in February they introduced a "love song" station. I avoided it... too sappy, right? But today I needed something peppy and fun so I tried the Broadway sub-channel. It's terrific!! I've heard Barbra, Ethel Merman, Harry Connick Jr., Judy Garland, and a host of others. Just had to share!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Changes of Life

I am not a small person. I'm overweight and I can say it. Technically I'm obese and apple shaped. That being said, I am rarely cold. When I was young and correctly proportioned (never was thin) I would get cold hands, feel the chill, etc. Goosebumps are a thing of my past.

At this point in my life I am hot. Not Paris Hilton "hot," but meaning very warm temperature. I have a fan at my desk at work and run it almost every day of the year. I have had the ceiling fans going at home for more than a month.... even all night long. Being in the midst of menopause doesn't help... hot flashes are horrible! I don't think you'll find any woman who enjoys them.
I admit that I am looking forward to ending "that time of the month" although mine is pretty easy & uneventful. I don't yearn for a return to the childbearing years.

My boys are almost grown. I like that they can go out after dark to take out the trash or take the dog for a walk, and I don't have to worry that someone will grab a sweet little boy from my yard. They are both on the edge of being men. Scary thought... but so true. I am not looking forward to either one moving out on his own, but I know that time will come sooner than later. I do enjoy the fact that they are old enough to watch some of my tv shows and don't have nightmares afterward. They understand the humor and dramatic license. They are both beginning to own their faith, figuring out how they will fit into God's plan.

Changes are not easy. Choosing whether to be upset or accepting of life change is such a cruicial part of growing up. In my mind I'm still not finished growing or changing. Seems like I read somewhere that when a person is finished growing is the day they die... or something like that. It makes sense to me.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Monday is canceled

I'll let the photo speak for itself.




Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Birthday Girl

Yep, here it is... my birthday. I'm 44 today!

I wonder why it is that we still feel 20-something-ish in our heads. I know I'm not 20-something. I don't think I'd really want to be 20-something again... although I would change somethings, like how I parented my son when he was a toddler. From that I know that I've grown and changed my attitude about life, love and a lot of things. Forty-ish seems to have made me more reflective of choices and consequences.

Well, off to start the day!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Saturday

It's 12:51pm. I generally love Saturdays. Mike is up early for work and I get to sleep in. Buster snuggles in tight once Mike is gone and we stretch and doze and roll over and sleep some more. I didn't get up until 9:45 this morning! That's practically a record for me!

The boys stayed up late and watched Avatar. Seth said it ended around 1:30 this morning. Oh to be a teenager again. Brand is planning an afternoon movie with Addi and another friend.

I have the crock pot going with a beef roast. I have caught up on current events. I think it's time to start a new book. Yay!!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Short

I'm officially the shortest human in this home. And I'll continue to shrink in stature for a few more years. Fortunately I still have a drill-sargeant voice that can bring them to their knees... at least for a few minutes.




Monday, April 19, 2010

Spring has Sprung and I'm loving it!


It's been weeks since I even visited my own blog... so busy being outside in the wonderful Midwest spring weather. I love daffodils and tulips blooming madly... the irises will be along shortly. I love looking at the trees that were recently completely bare, and now they are leafed out and full of life. The birds are twittering around all around our building. I'm sure nesting season is fast approaching.
I even planted a few flowers this weekend... room for another post!




Thursday, March 25, 2010

Counting down

I've been counting weeks, then days, then hours and finally today is the day! My parents are coming to visit. Just checked online and the first leg of their flight is on-time. They should be in St. Louis around 6:45 tonight. We're driving down to meet them and will spend the night.

Today is Mike's birthday - he's 46 and really doesn't want to be reminded of it. We'll go out to dinner tonight and celebrate.

Here's to Spring!

Friday, February 5, 2010

I love Snow!!

We are getting another batch of winter weather today and I'm so excited! Being from Oregon, any snow is an event.


I will say that I don't enjoy the salt on the roads after the main snow event is gone, but I am grateful for the lack of slippery roads. I just don't like my shiny black vehicle spattered with snow. I think there should be something like Rain-X to put on the sides of cars so that gunk just rolls right off.


Here's a picture from last month's ice & snow. I am starting to enjoy the native prairie grass, espcially when it's pretty like in this photo.

Friday, January 29, 2010

January Full Moon?

Don't know what the deal is this week... is it the full moon or is it just that doctors have finally gotten their heads back on track since the holidays? I can't believe how many people I know who are dealing with cancer diagnoses. Cancer is almost a syndrome because it has so many forms and causes.

I had to pull out my Relay for Life bookmark and remember:

Cancer is so limited...
It cannot cripple love.
It cannot shatter hope.
It cannot corrode faith.
It cannot take away peace.
It cannot destroy confidence.
It cannot kill friendship.
It cannot surppress memories.
It cannot silence courage.
It cannot invade the soul.
It cannot conquer the spirit.
-- author unknown

Many prayers for Amy and Myrna for the foreseeable future. Thank you Lord for new treatments, support groups and families that are built stronger through their journey.