and the yearly exams begin

HAPPY 40th BIRTHDAY DEAR!

happy birthday sweet boy

look who's 15 today!

lost her today

the best grandma in the world.

and so begins june

birthdays, grad days, father's days, and wedding days make my money go away! and it all starts to-day!!

• 6/1 my neice graduates


• 6/5 my dad's birthday


• 6/6 my birthday


• 6/9-6/14 visit danea (this rocks!)


• 6/15 father's day


• 6/21 cj's birthday


• 6/22 berto's mom's birthday


• 6/24 berto's birthday


• there's a wedding in there some where but i can't find the invite

i think i need to make a run for my local hallmark store! july looks a lot like this as well. plus, this july bailey is headed to europe for 14 days. i am starting to have panic attacks already. putting her on that plane is going to be one of the hardest things i have had to do yet.

the other day i had the urge to take a few pics of the things that were making me smile these days as i walked around my house.

i am loving this awesome potpourri and glass dish i got at pier one.

i finally got a cover for my coveted red kitchen aide mixer.







my mom decided that i needed a couple new appliances in my kitchen. this is the stove top/oven. it had a warming drawer on the bottom (which i never knew i needed but let me tell you i do!). it is also convection so i have to learn how to use that. i hear good things about it.






this is the other appliance i got. a dishwasher that is from the heavens i am pretty sure. i love this thing! i could put a pot roast on a plate in there and every thing would come out clean!











and finally, my fruit rack that is in the center of my island. the red apples are fake but the rest is real. this is my favorite decoration in my kitchen. i have had it for 5 years and i still love it. they say that when something in your home stops making you smile it's time to let it go. i think this one is a keeper for me.








we are getting pretty close to having the outside done. just some edging to define new lines in the back yard, re- planting some perennials that we lost, hanging out baskets, and spreading fresh bark dust. i love it when it's done and all i have to do is water, fertilize, and prune/dead-head.

my herbs. clockwise: parsley, cilantro, basil, and thyme. the parsley is actually the wrong type. my mom picked up the right one and i just have to go get it.







this is my favorite tomato. it produces cherry-sized orange tomatoes that are sweet like fruit. we all like them and i am the only one in the house who likes tomatoes. my mom's dog eats them of her plant so she has to plant hers out of reach.

my seating bench with 3 planters. mom plants these up for me every year and they get huge! by august only one person can sit on either side and is usually touched by a plant on one side or the other.

one of my two deck planters. these are huge and end up trailing down to the deck.


ole' pokey here is still working on school. i never thought i would take so long. i guess my inner procrastinator is finally showing itself. i am actually transcribing now, using the foot pedal and listening to doctors dictate. i like it other than when they use actual "medicines". it's like i should know all of the medications out there and know how to spell them. not to mention they don't sound anything like they are spelled. my scores are good but that is where i get knocked down on my work. i am still struggling with that part. uugh.

my grandpa fell and broke his pelvis so he had been in the hospital. he had some complitcations that arose from that so they put him in a nursing home so he can get physical therapy. he seems to be responding well. my grandma, whom i adore, is about to pass. she hasn't had anything to eat or drink for at least 10 days and her kidneys have shut down. i wish God would take her so she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. i know my grandpa is waiting for her. i will miss her terribly. i hope she passes peacefully. say a prayer.

this this the last full week of school. the kids have 8 1/2 days left and they are dying for it to be over! bailey has some killer finals and she is stressing out. i have been emailing cj's teachers like crazy and getting him in to work with them after school and at lunch to make sure all his work is in so we don't end up with any Fs. cross your fingers.

mom and dad have started their summer ritual of spending thursdays thru sundays in Newport with the fishing clan. it makes them so happy and relaxes them. dad fishes with his buddies and mom hangs out with the wives. they head up to Lincoln City and hit the outlet mall. dad has been catching fish already. we get a lot of fresh fish and fresh crab this time of year and it is great.

well, that's all for me right now. i just wanted to check in with you.

peace.

adorable story

i found THIS on another blog and thought it was so sweet.

peace out.

remember me???

i'm about 5'4", have hazel-colored eyes, and my weight is....oh, no you don't, you aren't going to get me to tell you that one.

seriously though, things are going well around here. i am doing good, hubby is well, kids are doing great, and the animals are annoying. i do wish we would get some sunshine for more than 36 hours at a time. finally today we planted our sweet pea plants in our front trellis-planters and weeded the back flower beds. i only lost 2 astilbe plants and one hosta. yay! those are easy to replace. i am going to add a few more hosta plants in one of my front flower beds since i have a few open spots. then all i have to do is strategically plant a wave-petunia here and there for color and spread some new bark and i am done.

have you seen these? YUM!! this is my favorite scent though i have others that i like as well. they work great and since i learned that things that are plugged in but aren't being used, like toasters, still use electricity i am switching to these instead of the "glade plug-ins". plus i think in the long run these will be cheaper.

i found a couple really cute websites. looking at various scrapbooker blogs i stumble across the coolest sites. i think this one is great. Three Potato Four These are especially cute. Bottles And this blog. decor8 she finds the coolest sites for design ides that are cool for your home but could also work as inspiration for scrappin'.

we have had a couple proms lately. after seeing these pictures i think i am definately going to try to get a spot in one of karen russell's online photography classes. here is her blog post answering some questions about the class (scroll down a little bit) karen's photo class info and her website specifically for these classes snapshots of a good life well, here are the pics are they are.

cj and his girlfriend, hannah, had a winter prom that had a retro-theme. they went as the "cool sandy" and danny at the end of the movie grease.




















sure wish i could have pulled off that red lipstick and those leather pants in high school. she is so dang skinny. what a cutie.














i had to bribe cj to get him to let me grease back his hair. i don't know how the 'greasers' did it everyday.














what a goofball. and guess what they didn't count on? that the dj would be playing 'retro' music at a 'retro' dance. i went and picked them up an hour after hannah's parents dropped them off. all that grease for an hour!! he's lucky he's so cute!


bailey went to the jr/sr prom last weekend. we totally lucked out on finding a dress that she loved right here in albany! no driving around all over the place. thank goodness.




















the theme of the prom was masquerade. we rented the mask at the costume loft downtown. they didn't have 'exactly' what she wanted so the girl there made one up just for bailey. it turned out perfect.













all of the girls got a group picture at the dance but here are some pictures of bailey and kelsey after they got ready at our house. i think they looks so beautiful.














peace out.

Evolution of Dance

This totally makes me happy!

I would like to thank the Academy...

for this Shitty-Blogger Award. it means so much to me. i didn't prepare a speech but there are a few people i need to thank. first of all, let me thank my 2 teenagers. without them i would blog more. ha! i would also like to thank mr. laundry. he never fails to build up which prevents me from blogging. ha! of course then there is dinner. always there EVERYDAY!! i would blog more if not for dinner. ha! and most of all i would like to thank mr. TIVO who, without a doubt, keeps me captivated every evening. without TIVO i would blog more. ha! gosh, it feels like i am forgetting someone....oh, i know. ms. school. she is constantly kicking my butt. she has me in the home stretch now, which is turning out to be the hardest part. without her i would blog more. ha!

i'm alive.

peace.

Tom Cruise Parody ala Scrapbooking

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this woman!!

FINAL-ly

i took my final exam last week for my transcription course and passed. finally. it feels really good to be finished. i have a small course to teach me the process of transcription, using the equipment, and learning methods of interpreting different accents that doctors may have. then i can earn some muh-la!! my family will be so happy!

i have been feeling great lately. i was in the kitchen loading the dishwasher a couple days ago. i had all the windows open to "blow out the stink" as my Mom would say, LOL. i heard a bird singing....and it was wonderful. sounds sappy, i know, but it was great. it means to me that spring is coming and i can't wait. i could really use some warm, sunny days.

berto has used an indoor seed-sprouting kit to raise Sweet Pea plants for our front planters that have lattice on the back. we have one on each side of the garage door. i can't wait to get these planted so they can weave their way up the lattice. it's been kinda cold in the mornings so we are going to wait a few weeks.

i have been cooking and baking a lot lately. it's great to finally get back to that. i love it so much and it seemed to be something that i "used" to do. i was concerned that i was going to never get back my love of cooking but......i was wrong. i have a great cookie recipe!!

JUMBO DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

2 sticks butter

2 sticks butter

1C sugar

3/4C firmly packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp instant espresso coffee powder

2C flour

2/3 C cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 C white choc. chips

1/2 C semisweet choc. chips

pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

cream butter and sugars. add eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder. mix well. sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. mix this into creamed mixture. stir in the chips.

line baking sheets w/ parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. scoop the dough into 12 large (2/3 C) mounds, arranging them, 4 to a sheet, at least 3" apart. Bake until cookies are flat, 20-25 minutes. ( i made the cookies smaller so i would have more and it worked just fine. i set my timer for 18 minutes. your over may be different so adjust as needed.)

i want to share something that swells my heart with pride. cj wants to join the STARS program at the start of next year. STARS is Students Today Aren't Ready for Sex. it is a peer-based program and he wants to be able to talk to younger students and help them be able to say no, giving them the tools the need to be strong.

STARS program

i will leave you with a few blogs that i am in love with right now:
Confessions of a Pioneer Woman
dooce
Christine Middlecamp

peace.

irritated

berto and his friend john had to work on my computer and save all of my stuff onto my 2 external hard drives. (yes, i have 2 so if one tanks i have another, and yes, i am paranoid) they could wipe my computer clean and put it back to factory settings. we think i had a virus or something.

but...now my pictures are in a different place and photoshop elements isn't loaded onto my computer yet, so i can't crop/alter my pictures. irritating i tell you!! i have a few pictures i want to post and i can't. bother!!

i do have this...and it totally makes me happy.



bailey and i are totally fighting over him. she says she saw him first. lol my daughter and i are in love with the same guy.....what is the world coming to?? though i also love this guy:



it might be the accent. what is it about men with accents?

peace.

earth

did you think i had fallen off of it? no, just hanging by the skin of my teeth. i am doing better. things are becoming clearer. thank goodness for the spring-like days. they are wonderful. i just wanted to let those of you who read my blog know what is up. maybe i can let someone else explain it:*

*Bipolar II is a version of Bipolar Disorder: depression is obvious but mild phases of high energy ("hypo-mania"), which can just look like anxiety and insomnia, are also present. This doesn't look at all like "manic-depression", just big mood and energy swings. But Bipolar II can be as severe as other forms of Bipolar Disorder, maybe even more prone to suicide. Bipolar II is an "official" diagnosis in the Bipolar Disorders group.

they are getting ready to shut down this site for maintenance in a few but i will try to blog more from now on. things are lookin' up. =)

happy new year

20 days???

that's how long it's been since i have posted? wow...talk about time flying. i have been pretty wrapped up in school and keeping my head above the water. oh, wait, isn't it Christmas, too? that always helps push the days by faster and faster. just too much to do.

i only have 3 secret santa gifts to buy for and shopping for Roberto. the only reason i haven't shopped for him is because i just finally got him to give me his list THIS MORNING!! now i just have to wrap it all. i kind of like that part. seeing the presents pile up under the tree. knowing that my kids will open each one and be happy to see what it is. that fills my heart that i made them happy. i know that is materialistic but when they are 14 and 16 and living in the world of "today" i will take what i can get.

i am a huge blog reader and this time of year is the best!! i have gotten so many recipes it is insane!! i could go broke buying all the ingredients to make them all. plus i would be handing out food to every Tom-Dick-and-Harry that walked by.

one of my favorite blogs is Donna Downey's. i get so much inspiration from her. she put a link on her site from someone who inspired her. Suzi Blu This picture just spoke to me. i love her art. i have been finding a lot of whimsy art like this from different artists and i wish that i could buy a bunch of them, frame them all, and make a wall of them in my scrap room.



















i am glad that Thursday was the kids' last day of school. i like having the kids home for Christmas vacation. call me crazy but it makes it feel like "home" when we are all here. though i will tell you that little Miss Bailey is running around in her car like if she doesn't put 10,000 miles on it before the end of 2007 it is going to turn back into a pumpkin. she came into my office 2 days ago and tells me that they are going to the movies. i said "what did you say" and she repeated herself. i repeated myself. lightbulb moment for her "CAN i go to the movie?" i told her that just because she has a car it doesn't mean that she gets to do what she wants when she wants. she still has to ASK. did i mention that she is 16?? help me when CJ gets to 16!!

Roberto is loving, loving his job!! it is a strange adjustment for us though. he doesn't leave for work until about 8:20am and gets home at 6:30ish depending on traffic. that puts dinner a lot later than we are used to. it works well for him because he is not a morning person so getting to leave for work a little bit later is good for him.

well, i thought i would share my favorite Christmas decoration of my home. NO ONE gets to touch it. i put it up and i take it down. it is from Pottery Barn and you can bet i am the only one in this family that understands what that means. LOL i still need to get some kind of xmas decoration for the mirror and take the foliage garland that i have there down but i haven't found anything that strikes me yet.

















i purchased this set of 3 snowmen a couple years ago at Costco. they bend so you can position them anyway you want. again with the 14 year old boy. this is what i get:



















and then there is the not-so-nice of a gestering snowman:























and last but definately not least the snowman that is taking a dump. CJ is very into detail. he is sitting on a container of 'chocolate' frosting and reading a newspaper.
























Merry Christmas!

Peace.

been down

my closest friends know that i have problems with ups & downs. i am in a down that i can't kick. maybe it's the shorter days, the big-time changes in our lives, the stress of Christmas...which usually isn't a stress but is this year.


i talked with a friend yesterday who helped me see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. she helped me make a schedule. i did. it's way more packed than i thought it would be but i am going to give it my all. so far, so good. i know it's only been one day but i did yesterday perfectly. as soon as my morning coffee and blogging is over i am on to day 2. i will finish day 2 if it kills me. thanks friend.


berto is working at the Benton County Senior Dial-a-Bus. he is dispatcher and is in love with his job. he loves to dispatch and loves helping the older people who need this service. he has even had to run out twice now and pick-up and/or drop-off two clients that a certain bus couldn't or didn't get to. he even thought that was pretty cool. there is some room for advancement so that is good as well. i am very happy for him. and to be honest....the paycheck.


i am so in the mood to scrapbook but just know that i can't because at this late date my school work has to come first. i need to make sure our crop group has a scrapbook day in January. hint, hint, Anne, go check the schedule!! i am all packed and ready to go!!


since this post seems so down (sorry about that) i thought i would post some funny pics. those of you who know me well know that i am ALWAYS behind in my laundry. there is always a pile of dirty clothes on the floor in my bathroom. the other day Bug and Jack were wrestling around in the pile of clothes and out runs Bug with the arm of my bra around her. not around her neck but over her head and behind her 2 front legs...almost like a harness. i swear....not a single person in this house did it to her. how she did it is beyond me. then, as i am taking pictures she gets one of the hooks stuck in the carpet and can't go anywhere. we were dying laughing. 'gotta love a pet that can keep you laughing.

peace.

Jeff Dunham - Achmed the Dead Terrorist

normally these ventriloquists (sp?) bug me but this guy's characters crack me up! he has quite a few of them. this one is my favorite one so far. thought i would share.

one of my faves!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

a fork in the road

when i owned my scrapbook store i used to read blogs from wholesale companies to try and keep up on what was going on in their world. one of the blogs that i read was that of Melody Ross, the owner of Chatterbox. her blog didn't really do much for me but one day she posted something that hit me up side the head like "i could've had a V8!!". i ran across it last night and thought i would share it with you. it seems to hit home right now in some way.....

What Are You Afraid Of?

Afraid of Being the Adult.....This is a beautiful photo of a fork in the road...in case you can't tell......when you are the adult...you have to be the one to decide which road is to be taken........ugh. Remember when the biggest choice you had to make every day was whether you would wear your hair in a half-ponytail or in pigtails? Remember when you'd contemplate for HOURS, every day in November about what you were going to tell Santa when you sat on his lap next month? Remember when the only fork in the road was the one that went to your friend Susie's house or your friend Gina's house to play Barbies?

Sometimes I just totally hate being an adult. I hate that I have to always make these giant choices that mean giant things either way. I want to throw myself on the ground and throw a fit and say..."I don't want mac and cheese OR pb&j....I only want a cooooookieeee!!!! WAAAHHHHHH!!!" Of course, my mac and cheese and pb&j just happen to represent large decisions that could potentially make way bigger messes than even grape jelly on champaign colored carpet.

You know what I always tell my kids when they throw those kinds of fits? "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit!" Is that how life works sometimes? I am not sure yet........I guess I have to think about what I had to do before I said that to my kids...I had to give them what I thought was best for them, when they really believed that a diet of cookies was the best thing for them....I had to hand over the carrots and some diced up little pieces of chicken, pull the cookie away and say "you get what you get and you don't throw a fit...." So, I guess in the end, it really was what was best....

......and maybe that's just how life works? Always? Even when you are the adult.....sometimes God has to give you what HE knows is best.....and even with all of our kicking and screaming and silent treatments and starvation tactics....sometimes He just has to say...."you get what you get and you don't throw a fit...."

right?

......maybe I'm still in spiritual babyfood mode and I have to grow my teeth before I can start eating the solid food? I don't know.........maybe I would choke if I got what I really wanted.....maybe I just have to eat my vegetables and I'll finally get surprised with a cookie if I'm really good.

Who knows...........I'll be a good kid and eat my vegetables......

and......don't you wish someone would wrap you up in a blanket every day at 2pm and MAKE you take a nap????

i'm a sucker for jack nicholson

put him in any movie and i will watch it. this one looks like i will laugh, cry, and watch it over and over, and over. morgan freeman is in it as well and he is another of my favorite actors. and isn't it great to see sean hayes in something since will & grace? so watch this preview and see whatcha' think.

The Bucket List

holidays

i don't 'host' family holiday dinners. that is still in my Mom's department for now. i am keeping an eye on her every move though, so hopefully when it is my turn i can make some of the same amazing dishes that she does.

this recipe is one that i make that she doesn't. it's not traditional (so my Dad thinks because it hasn't been made by my Mom forever) but my husband loves it.....and he doesn't like stuffing. i was given this recipe from a friend that i had a long time ago and it is amazing. give it a try....it might just surprise you.

WILD RICE MUSHROOM STUFFING

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice

day-old french bread (about 4 ounces)

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms*

1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, crushed

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (i leave these out)

Rinse and cook rice according to package directions; set aside. Cut enough bread into

1/2-inch cubes to measure 4 cups. Spread in single layer on baking sheet. Broil 5 to 6 inches from heat 4 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring after 2 minutes; set aside.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sage, dried thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Add cooked rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth. Add pecans and toasted bread cubes; toss lightly.

Transfer to 1 and 1/2-quart casserole dish.**Preheat oven to 325F. Cover casserole with lid or foil. Bake 40 minutes or until heated through.

*or, substitute 1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms

for 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms(this is what i do)

**At this point, Wild Rice Mushroom Stuffing may by

covered & refrigerated up to 8 hours before baking.

Bake 50 minutes or until heated through.

and if you want to satisfy you sweet tooth (and almost everyone else's) make these!!

PEANUT BUTTER ROCKY ROAD

1 lb. white bark

1 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups rice krispie cereal

1 cup mini marshmellows

1 cup roasted peanuts

In a 2 qt. bowl melt the bark and the peanut butter for 3-4 minutes on 50% power in the microwave, stirring once half-way through. Add the vanilla and stir until well mixed. Fold in the cereal, marshmellows, and peanuts. Spread into a 9x13 pan that is lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares and serve. Store in air-tight container.

i have a few other recipes i would like to share but have to head out right now. have a great Sunday.

peace.

Veterans Day Tribute

I am so thankful that my family who served are still here with me today. My heart goes out to those families who cannot say that.

God Bless all of those who have served and who are currently serving to protect our Country.

the mid-term it over

and i got....

84%!!!!

boy am i glad that is over. now i begin a new section of chapters (11 of them i think), a final test on those chapters, a short course on using the transcribing equipment and i'm done. i can't wait for that!

peace.

i hate tests

well, i took my 2nd review test last night and got an 84%. that's pretty good i think.

but, tonight my proctor, Dawna, is coming over to watch me take my mid-term and i am nervous as hell. what if i bomb? do i get to retake it? i can't find any info on that. i guess i have to call and ask. wish me luck. i will keep you posted.

on a good note....i have been selling all of my Longaberger baskets on Ebay to make money while i am trying to finish school. i have been doing OK. sold a set of nested serving baskets (that i adored) for $165. i have to head into town and ship 4 boxes today.

Monday i am headed out to Cocoa Daisy with Pam to start putting together the kits for December. i can't wait to see what they are going to have in them!

peace.

Timbaland - Apologize (feat. One Republic)

i finally found this song! i have been looking for it since i heard the chorus on a promo for an upcoming episode of "Without a Trace". love it!

teenagers shouldn't trick-or-treat

...but one of Bailey's friends, the nerdy student pictured below had never been, so i figured it was OK this year.




















Bailey as Sally from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas".





















her friend Becky. what a silly lil' mime.





















peace.

settling in....sort of

well, work is going OK. i guess i can say that i don't hate it. other than one girl i really like the people i work with. the bummer is that Lisa, the cook, is leaving at the end of this week. she has helped me more than anyone. plus she is really funny. we crack each other up all the time.


my hours have evened out this week. i had been 2 days here and 3 days there but now i am set into my original hire agreement. tuesday thru friday, 8-3. it works really well for me. plus, opening, 8-9 is pretty fun. pretty easy, too. i will be starting to slice meat, cheese, tomatoes, and onions on the automated slicer when Lisa leaves because Cindy, who does it now, will be taking over the cooking duties. i will also be doing a little bit of prep-cooking in the afternoons when the lunch rush is over. i like that.


oh, and we do some catering as well. so in the mornings we get it all done...box lunches and platters. this morning i made, wait for it......68 f-in' sandwiches!! thought i was gonna' die! at least i wasn't maker for the lunch rush. i would have had to hurt someone.


the best part???? Pam got hired at the deli. her hours are almost the same as mine so we will get to spend our days together again. i am so excited. i missed her so much. we had a really hard time getting together over the summer. i am glad we will have this.


things have been tough around here money-wise. the Target job that Berto got didn't work out for him. so, he is back to job hunting again. cross your fingers for him. we seem to make it by the skin of our teeth but we won't be able to last much longer. it's amazing how cheap you can get by when you really try. this is definately a good lesson.


my mom gave me a little bit of $$ on the sly to spend on scrapbook supplies because she knows her daughter well enough to know i was dying to get some new stuff. little does she know i collect more than i scrap but that's another story. i saw Ali Edwards working on this and had to get one. it arrived today.


























i also read Donna Downey's blog and she created this cool Christmas scroll. i thought it would make a great Christmas decoration. she made 22 kits with full directions and sold them on etsy. i was lucky enough to get in on one. finally i hit something right on time.



























i want to send out a belated 2-year anniversary greeting to my friend Anne and her partner, Jamie. congrats!! love you guys.

well, i'm off to see who gets the boot on this weeks Dancin' with the Stars. it better not be my Cameron!

peace.

just sharing a few recent layouts

the left side swirl, flower in the lower right, and the label at the top right are felt pieces from Fancy Pants. they are so cool. the letter stickers, patterned paper, epoxy stickers, and the buttons on the felt are all love, Elsie.

these papers, stickers, and epoxy stickers are from Marah Johnson. the flower is from Bazzill and the round bling in the center of the flower is from Heidi Swapp. the chipboard brackets are from Basic Grey and the chipboard arrow is from Scenic Route i think. the bottom ribbon i got from my good friend, Anne. she is working on her ribbon-sharing abilities these days.

i'm too lazy to go figure this one out completely. i think a lot of it is Fancy Pants. another one of the round blings from Heidi Swapp. 7G's stamp. Fancy Pants transfer on the picture that came off like SHIT!


peace!

beginnings and endings

it's been a strange week to say the least. it's odd how you wake up on a Monday morning and think you know how your week will play out. just the same old things. you just might be wrong.

roberto got a job at the Target Distribution Center in Tangent. it tides us over until he gets on with the state, city, or county. he has at least 6 applications in right now so we are hoping something will come through soon. try, try, and try again some more. i just hope he gets a Target discount!!

i started my job at the Wine Depot on Tuesday. i enjoyed it a lot more than i thought. it was a whirlwind trying to absorb all the information that i could. i suck at remembering names so i was constantly repeating everyone's names as i walked behind them. they probably wanted to punch my lights out.

so all is well and then BAM! life throws up a ball of emotion that sends you spinning. my maternal grandmother, Oma as i called her, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday. she has been in a nursing home since May and i knew that it wouldn't be long but you know what they say, "you're never really ready for it". i wasn't good a visiting her. i would get so emotional and depressed when i did that it was so hard to go. pretty selfish now that i think about it. i did get to say a few last things to her. i thanked her for being the one to buy me my first bra. for being the one to buy me my first pair of high heels and teaching me to walk in them. for being the one to teach me to cross my legs and to sit down gracefully and not the "plop" down. i told her how i remembered on Wednesday nights she would let me comb out her really long hair and try to put it back up "my way" because she knew that Thursday was the day she went in and got her hair washed and set. i told her i remembered playing dice with her and taking picnic lunches to Opa during the summer. i think she heard me when i talked to her. i know that she is happy and pain free now. Opa kissed her and told her he would see her in Heaven. i believe he will. we will bury her tomorrow. all i can do now is stand as strong as i can next to my Mom and give her all of the love and support that i can. she needs me and i will without a doubt be there for her.

after losing my grandma that morning i had to go to work. it was my 2nd day and there was no way i could not go. it was a long day and i thought a lot about my Mom and how she was doing. i got to do a few more new things a the Deli and am getting pretty good at the things i learned on the first day. i will say one thing....making my own latte' rocks!

Bailey was inducted into the National Honor Society. Roberto and i are so proud of her. it was a short ceremony where each inductee signed their name into the book, lit their candle, and received a pin. this is one of those things that i am proud to say she got from me. i was in the NHS, too. now we are pin-pals. sad humor, i know.



















today Bailey got her Oregon Driver's License. talk about beginnings and endings all in one sentence! she begins a whole new part of being a young adult. and i end having to take her happy-ass everywhere!! ha!! seriously though, it scares me to death.













there was no school today nor will there be school on Monday. it's the end of the first 6 weeks. i think CJ did pretty good this time. i sure hope so. it seems like he has been trying hard. plus he has a study hall this semester and i think he gets a lot done in there. if it helps i need to make sure he gets one every semester if possible. i would rather him have a study hall than underwater basket weaving.

here is a wonderful picture of my son 2 years ago this month for Halloween. his grandpa took him to Hooters to get a girls' t-shirt for his costume and the waitress gave him her shorts since they don't sell those. i promptly washed them and this was what he walked the streets looking like that night. his friend was a stripper. what guys won't do to get girls to pay attention to them.




















speaking of CJ, when i got the call Wednesday morning about my grandma i started to cry really bad. the kids were getting ready for school and Roberto was still asleep. CJ doesn't show a lot of affection, being a teenage boy and all, but he went into the bathroom, got a cool wet washcloth, brought it to me, and held me and let me cry until he had to leave for the bus. i have often wondered if my sweet boy was still in there and now i can quit wondering.

this reminds me of how my heart has been breaking for my dear friend, Pam. her son, Noah, made a decision to move Israel to attend school. she is still reeling from the change and misses him terribly. Pam, you are incredibly brave. i know things will get easier. hang in there. i love you tons.

peace.

a weird thing happened today

i got a job. nothing earth-shattering. no big bucks. just a punch-in-punch-out job at The Wine Depot in downtown Albany. i am torn as to how i feel about it. i should be doing transcription work by now but because i have been having a hard time learning the material and dragging my feet working on it i am forced to make money somewhere else while i finish the course.

i am nervous about working for someone else. what if i screw up? i don't like to get into trouble or be yelled at (though the owner that interviewed my was so lovely) so i don't think "yelling" will be that often. i will be working with the public taking their orders or actually making their order. so, i either over charge them or f*ck up their sandwich! geez.

...and, a small part of me, and i mean small, is looking forward to getting out of the house. i can't go out and about like i used to since i don't have any money so this is what i can do....and make money at it.

i start next week. i am testing the waters for a couple days and then will get my food handlers permit and my liquors license. fun. my hours are good though. 8-3 M-F. not bad. no weekends is great. being home shortly after the kids get home is even better.

well, i have to go serve up dinner and hit the books but i will leave you with a picture of my daughter and her "posse".

peace.