Pimped my Cart

This is the scrapbook case my hubby gave me for Christmas. I am headed this weekend to my first scrap/spa getaway. I can't wait. Since everyones case is going to look the same I decided to pimp mine up...at least a little.
I even designed the name card for the front. I will post pixs from the weekend when I return

Blue Angels and Cadets

Patrick is the one sticking out of the engine giving the thumbs up.

P.O.L.A

Petty Officer Leadership Academy. Our 14 year old son left the day after Christmas and reported to the Naval Academy for training. Patrick stayed on the boat below for the duration of his stay. The other photos are from the last day which was basically an informal graduation ceremony. Now all he has to do is take the Petty Officer test to receive his next rank in the Naval Sea Cadets

We are going fake...

It had been a great tree when we first got it. However, it sucked up water like a sponge that I was filling up the base several times a day. Within a week when you passed by the tree you could hear the neeedles dropping. Christmas morning there were tons of needles all over all the packages. Christmas night the tree seemed to have a huge sign hovering over it that flashed "fire hazard, fire hazard". We ended up taking it down that night and just with the routine of taking off the ornaments the tree was bare and just a huge trunk of naked branches.
So, next year we are going fake...baby !!!! Just need to figure out where we are going to store it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

Friends, Food and Fun

It was a blast the other night. We all got together for an evening of food and drinks. It had been along time since our last outing. Aftwards several of us walked up to Target to get some of those last remaining gifts. Hey Kimberly, we are going to miss you once you move. But you will have to come back up every now and again for our dinners. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas !!!

Gimme Land lots a Land....

We did it...We bought 5 acres in beautiful Kentucky...near Lexington to be more exact but even closer to Georgetown Ky..home of the Toyota plant. My friend Jason is still shocked that we have moved to his home town. (Cynthiana) It has beautiful rolling hills and farms on both sides of the property...one even has a cute red barn. I am excited to build a great house, however, Mike can't technically retire for 6 years.... but we are probably looking at more then 8 before we can build and move. He hopes that maybe he can then relocate to the Cinci Ohio airport (only an hour drive) The folowing are the photos the realtor took....In the last photo our property is under the big white 1 in the word Phase 1.

Shhhhh....

Jason doesn't want anyone to know that it will be his birthday on Sept 6th.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's Start Over

I am not making any promises....I am going to TRY and attempt to post more often.

Myspace

My head is head high...even though my children, or should I say teenage boys are laughing at me.

I have a myspace!!!!! No, it isn't for the purpose of spying on my kids. They know that I check their myspace accounts from time to time. It is strickly for me and my friends who have accounts. Most of the friends on "my" myspace are Phi MU related. We talk so much via email we have found that myspace give us a chance to show photos and information about each of us.

Please feel free to check it out. www.myspace.com/lionhugs1852

New Toy

Well, I hope to turn a new leaf and actually get myself in shape. First let me say when it comes to working out I very very lazy. Yes, I did belong to a gym and I found more excuses not to go. Plus I hate to sweat.

However, this weekend our new treadmill was delivered. It was more then I ever thougt a person should spend on one..but I do have to admit it is a great machine.

I actually have done power walking on it already and yes, I sweat my ass off too. Iam able to walk when nobody is around. I can watch TV, read, listen to Ipod etc... and just keep walking.

I do have a goal.... so we will see how it goes. I will try and post a photo of the machine t some point.

Wish me luck !!!

Forgive me....

I have been a terrible blogger lately. (hand on my heart)
I pledge to....try my best to at least blog once if not twice a week. There have been any things going on that are worth a good post but many other things seem to get in the way of posting a small snippet about them.

Don't give up...check back every so often

Are you kidding me???

Yes, I am ONLY counting down the day left till school starts...Then someone sends me this link

Christmas Countdown -

The Countdown Begins

At least the countdown begins on my part...the days left till school begins again. My kids on the other hand claim they aren't ready to go back, but I know deep down they are looking forward to a new school year.

Now the process begins of cleaning and storing pool towels, beach chairs and shaking out sand from various items. However, sand is very much like christmas tree needles. You think you have cleaned it all up but several months later a clump will show up out of now where.

Water guns and water balloons are now being replaced with new notebooks, pencils and pens.

10 more days...But who's counting

MIA

I am sending out and A.P.B. for my friend Jason.....

Description...

Tall, dark hair, good looking. Slight southern drawl. Loves the color red....

Jason, if you are reading this please check in before the volunteers start to gather to tack up missing posters.

Where are you!!!!!

Let the Sunshine

Well it is about time...It is finally sunny today. The last few days have been awful. Pouring rain doesn't even describe the amount of rain we have had for the past few days.
It has been down right miserable. What have we done to make the weather God's so mad???

Our backyard turned into a small pond and the street a fast moving river.

Rain even caused the government to call liberal leave. You only hear that on snow days. Also, MSNBC has even been paying close attention toay to a dam at Lake Needwood that is being pushed to the limit and on the verge of being breeched.

I am just so thankful that the weather is back to normal. HHH Hazy, Hot and Humid...

Granted, I could do with out the humid...makes for bad hair days.

Here we go again

Yes...we are once again debating breast feeding vs. bottle feeding.
It is just as bad as when we debate working moms vs. stay at home moms.
People, get over it already. There is no winner on either side. Why can't we just agree to disagree.
Oh yes, you shove statistics, bargraphs, and test groups in our faces to try and prove your point. But come on... how many women out there change their entire routine and lifestyle because of a govenment report aired on the 6'oclock news.

I believe the only ones who are brainwashed into believing all this hogwash is the newly pregnant first time mom who is paranoid over every detail of raising a healthy happy perfect child.

But all us moms with more then 1 child know that all the planning and safeguarding is tossed out the window once you have your second.

1 Ringy Dingy

I am happy to say that after a week we finally have a working land line again. I did have the home calls forwarded to my cell phone....or at least I had thought so. People would either get a recording saying there was trouble on the line or just constant ringing. Well, after calling Verizon 3 days in a row, they finally got it right. Not that I received many calls from the land line.

Verizon also gave us one of those appointment windows....where you are assured they would show up early if you took a few seconds to run a short errand, or if you were good and waited the entire time, they would show up 2 secs. before the appointment time is suppose to end.
I am please to say my window was from 8-12 and they arrived about 9:15 and had it all up and running in about an hour.

And to prove it is working fine the first call I got was a telemarketer...Figures.

Behind the Wheel

It finally happened.....Ryan drove for the first time today.

Ryan has been 16 for 3 month, but hasn't really had the desire to drive. We decided today to take him to the parking lot of his highschool and get him behind the wheel.
He went with Mike this morning and then I took him again in the evening.
I have to admit I was calmer then I thought I would be...I didn't have that white knuckle death grip on the door handle and I didn't feel the need to push the imaginary brake on the floor. (Even though we all know it helps the driver slow the car down)

I was very impressed with his driving ability the first time out. We figure we will take him every so often before he heads to drivers ed at the end of summer. Plus, he needs to spend time going over the drivers manual before he can take the test for his learners permit.


Notice the hand at the 10-2 position and eyes on the road....(small beads of sweat are on the brow.)

Written in Stone

Of course where there is a little wet cement, who can resist the urge to write in it. So, when the cement had cured for a few hours I went out and carved in each of our initials... plus the year.