A Taste of HOME...

My neighbor came over the other night bearing "gifts"... their yellow squash and zuchini had "come in" so she brought me some of the extras... YUMMY!!! I will be "doing it up" in "traditional Southern fashion"... cut up the squash/zuchini into slices... pat them with paper towels (to get out some of the moisture) dredging them in egg... then a mix of cornmeal and breadcrumbs... and FRY THOSE BABIES UP!!! We will make a meal of it... with LOTS of ketchup! YUMMY!!! It will truly be a "taste of Home"! Of course... NOT as good as fried green maters... but pretty darn close! Even my "Yank" of a husband LOVES 'em (but don't tell his MOTHER)!!! :o)

Absence Makes...

The bladder grow stronger... LOL... currently our downstairs powderroom is under construction... and I never really realized just HOW MUCH we use it during the course of a day until we haven't been able to... :o) Not just to check my make-up before going out... or wash our hands (much easier for my daughter than dragging a chair to the kitchen sink)... get a bandaid for a "booboo"... and even "go potty"... we now have to go upstairs to use the bathroom... UGH... what a pain!!! I have found myself waiting until the last possible moment to make the dash upstairs (where before I could just "duck" into the powderroom)... My daughter almost exclusively used the powderroom because it had a "lowboy" toilet... which reminded me too much of a bidet... she'll be shocked when she sees the "new potty" (which does NOT remind me of a bidet... LOL)... this morning when she woke up I had her use the bathroom upstairs... when she came down and saw my husband working in the powderroom she said "Daddy... will you please hurry up and get my bathroom finished... I miss my little potty"... yea... she's going to miss it more than she knows!

He Has "Arrived"...

OK... I want to preface this little story by saying that my husband's brother and sister-in-law (which would be MY BIL and SIL) and their two boys (My nephews) are probably 4 of the most MATERIALISTIC people you would EVER meet... one nephew is in 8TH GRADE and one is a SENIOR this year... keep that in mind while reading an e-mail exchange that I had today with my SIL...

Approximately 2pm this afternoon (School would be IN SESSION during this time)...

Me- Hi... Isn't today the boys first day of school?

SIL- Yes... I don't know how it is going though because they won't answer any of my TEXT MESSAGES

Me- OMG... are you telling me that "T" (that would be the 8th grader) has a CELLPHONE with him IN SCHOOL?

SIL- Yes... You aren't ANYBODY unless you have a cellphone in school... LOL

Me- Well... Then I guess it's good he's SOMEBODY... hope they had a great day!

Yea... no response back from my SIL

Feeling Homesick...

I miss being around like-minded people and in an enviornment where things are "familiar" to me... I have this poem prominently displayed in a place in the house where I can easily and frequently read it...

To be a VIRGINIAN either by BIRTH, Marriage, or Adoption or even on one's Mother's side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Forgein Country, and a Benediction from Above... Anonymous

I miss "HOME"...

Random Thoughts...

The following thoughts have popped into my mind over the last few days (due to situations I have personally been in or observed)... just wanted to share them... remembering please... that they are MY thoughts...

1. I have a hard time taking you seriously when you are wearing a shirt with the graphic "I Feel Naughty" across the front (I mean... GEEZ LOUISE you are 42 years old!!!)

2. YOU are not 16... you were ONCE... a LONG time ago... but your NOT now (You're 42... and to be HONEST you stopped looking 16 26 years ago)

3. Just because YOU don't speak/understand English... don't think I don't know how to speak/understand Spanish (and yes... I understand it PERFECTLY well also)

4. There is something VERY WRONG when you use a welfare debit card to pay for your groceries and then get into a luxury SUV out in the parking lot

5. If you choose to wear flip flops in public... make sure your feet are CLEAN

6. There is a difference between DONE and COMPLETED

7. Don't claim to be "GREEN" while jumping into your HUMMER

8. I hope HILLARY doesn't win

9. ONCE a cheater ALWAYS a cheater... "they" were just dumb enough to get caught the first time... and "you" were dumb enough to stay

10. When did it become alright to have a CELLPHONE ON RING in church?

11. I married a GOOD MAN

12. I would NEVER trust someone enough to ride on the back of a motorcycle WITHOUT a helmet

13. Stay positive about Lilley Kate starting kindergarten

14. I LOVE KFC popcorn chicken

15. She's been a good dog

16. "WHALETALES" are out... and they were NEVER in on someone THAT old...

17. Do I WANT it or NEED it?

18. FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS

19. I LOVE SNAPPLE GREEN TEA... LOOOOOOOOOVE it

20. I'm basically happy

No RINGIE DINGIE...

OK... Can I tell ya today I was NOT feeling the love... the phone didn't ring ONCE the ENTIRE day... which BTW is SO NOT the norm... no calls from my "peeps"... no solicitors (well... we don't get those anyway... with an unlisted and unpublished number IF... and that is a BIG IF a solicitor calls here it is RARE)... no wrong numbers... NOTHING... NADA... ZILCH... although one frined did e-mail me to say she TRIED to ring up but it was BUSY... odd... because I wasn't on the phone AT ALL today (again... VERY ODD)... well... my husband was just putting back together the pantry room (where the phone is located)... HE WAS PAINTING IT!!!... and realized WE HAVE NO DIALTONE on the phone... WHAT??? WHEN did THAT happen???? No wonder I wasn't feelin' the LOVE... DANG... and on a weekend too... THAT IS JUST GREAT... Grrrrrr... good thing my husband has a cellphone... and FIRST THING Monday morning he'll be calling the phone company... because I NEED MY PHONE!!!

Being a Hoarder...

Toilet Paper... dryer sheets... laundry soap... CLOROX wipes... Lysol... tissues... POST-It notes... ketchup...

I don't exactly know WHY I "hoard" these items... but I do... I ALWAYS pick up one... if not more of these items EVERY TIME I go to the store... whether we NEED them or not... I get them... it's the weirdest thing to me... but I KNOW I am not alone... the other day I was at the store... in the checkout line... and a couple was in front of me... the "wife" was loading the groceries up to be scanned... all of a sudden the "husband" says 'Why are you getting more dishsoap... we have 3 at home already...' to which the wife responds 'Oh... we do... well now we'll have 4'... I had to give her a wink... I think she may be my long lost sister... I'm off to the store... I have to pick up Toilet Paper... dryer sheets... laundry soap... CLOROX wipes... Lysol... tissues... POST-IT notes... and ketchup... among other things!

Mirror Mirror on the Wall...

My daughter has always loved full-length mirrors... (I mean what GIRL doesn't love a mirror?)... she loves to look in it and dance around... watching herself "stike a pose"... she loves to put on dresses and twirl around in front of the mirror... she loves to do ballet in front of the mirror... we HAD one full length mirror in our home... in the foyer on one of the coat closet doors... often I would find her in the foyer... doing her thing in front of the mirror... when we visit my parents... she'll spend all afternoon sometimes up in the guestroom... being silly in front of the mirror... well... we were at the store yesterday... and it being "Back to College" time there are LOTS of neat things to buy... including her OWN FULL-LENGTH MIRROR!!! She was SOOOOOOO excited!!! So when my husband got home from work last night he put it up on her closet door... So today... she has spent most of the morning upstairs in her room... in front of her mirror... she has had a nightgown fashion show... danced to the Nutcracker CD she loves so much... I coaxed her outside for a bit to swim... after about 30 minutes she asked to come inside... so we did... it is really HOT and HUMID outside... well... wanna guess where she is now? Upstairs... in front of the mirror... she has on her "Butterfly Barbie" costume and is dancing around joyfully... What better activity on a HOT and Humid Summer Day... to Dance as if noone if watching (although I am sneaking peeks!)... :o)

Blogging Goals...

I have a few FABULOUS blogs that I have come to visit on a DAILY basis... although I don't ALWAYS leave comments... I do visit... anyway... I have been thinking of a couple of ways I can keep myself busy (since my daugther will be in ALL DAY Kindergarten)... so besides making a LIST of projects that I can tackle myself around the house (and maybe surprise my husband) I am making some BLOGGING GOALS for myself... to help IMPROVE my blog... and make it a bit more interesting... so here are my "GOALS" ... Pick a certain day to do something "fun"... kinda like Thursday 13 or Flashback Friday (two of my favorite days on the respective blogs)... figure out how to get a photo of myself on the sidebar... I like to "see" who I am reading... figure out how to post pictures "in" the blog... participate in some fun "bloggisphere" games or contests... LOL... I know... Pretty "lofty" goals (I'm KIDDING... remember I'm kinda "new" at this so I wanted to set goals I was confident I could reach!!!)... but I think I'm up for the challenge!

The Tale of Stinky Feet...

OK... I'll admit it... I have stinky feet... well... not ALWAYS... but sometimes... not in WINTER (unless I'm wearing my boots for the entire day... then I have stinky feet in Winter)... but in Spring and Summer... yep... I have stinky feet... I don't necessarily think it is my FEET themselves that are stinky... but my feet IN my shoes... I have favorite pairs of shoes... 2 in particular are "slides"... with just the slightest little bit of heel/sole... SUPER COMFY... but my feet in these 2 particualr pairs are SUPER STINKY... again... I'm blaming the SHOES mostly... the footbeds of my fav shoes are like a suedeish leather material... which I am THINKING trap the sweat coming off my feet... and then the SHOES become stinky... I mean REALLY STINKY... like those shearling lined Winter slippers of my husbands... HOLY COW... we can be sitting watching TV and he'll just slide his heel out of the slipper and all of a sudden I am GASPING for breath!!! UGH... UBER STINKY... I have even noticed if I casually "flip" my shoe on my foot while sitting cross legged I get a STINKY wiff... and quickly stop... I've tried EVERYTHING (well... everything I know to try)... Lysoling the INSIDES of my shoes after I wear them... My Dad suggested FEBREEZE... tried it... didn't work... powdering my feet (with foot powder) before putting the shoes on... wiping my feet off periodically throughout the day with a baby wipe... using UNDERARM deodorant on the bottoms of my feet (which then gave me ITCHY STINKY FEET)... airing out my shoes once I take them off... nothing seems to help... I have heard of soaking your feet in JELLO/GELATIN... that is suppose to take the STINK out... haven't gotten the courage to try that though... well... I guess I'll just have to be patient for now... my STINKY FEET won't last much longer... the weather is changing... and once it gets COLD... I won't have STINKY FEET anymore... until next Spring/Summer... or unless I wear my boots all day long...

Thinking Quickly... BB8 Thoughts...

BB8 will be on in about 8 minutes... it's Eviction night for either Jenn or Jameka... Yea... I'm SO HOPING it is Jameka... I have liked Jenn since about week 3... I would be SAD to see her go... I would much rather play a game like BB against someone who is actually PLAYING the game and not just "breezing through" unnoticed... I still am as curious as Zach as to WHY there weren't ANY photos of Daniele's boyfriend Chris in her HOH room this time... and WHY would her "letter from home" be from Nick... I can't believe that Daniele is as Deaf, Dumb, and Blind about Nick as Jessica is about Eric... ok... maybe I can... :o)

Turning Back The Clock...

I'm having a hard time with this whole "four-0" thing... not really liking it... isn't 40 SUPPOSE to be the "new 30"? Well... I wouldn't want to be 30 again... but I would like to be 32 again... looking back at pictures (which I have been doing the past few days)... I realize that I looked my best (or at least I think I did) at age 32... I feel like I have "aged" a LOT since having our daughter 5 years ago... I feel like a gawky teenager... not comfortable in my own skin... not recognizing my body (and the changes that have happened in the past few months)... If I could have my life the WAY it is now... and be 32 again... turning back the clock might be just what I need... I hope this whole "four-0" thing is just going to take some getting use to... I hope...

And "The Change" Begins...

No No No.... not "THE CHANGE" (if that's what you are thinking!)... the SEASONAL CHANGE... it has started getting a bit chilly here in the evenings and overnites... the sky has been the most clear and VIBRANT blue this past week... the flowers are starting to tucker out... ready for their long winter's nap... I noticed on Thursday the very edges of the trees in our neighborhood were taking on a different color... Fall is near... and then Winter (my least favorite season weather-wise)... Summer seems to have sped by... this morning we woke up to rain... and chilly temps (68*)... I always know that when the trees start their color change that Fall/Winter isn't too far off... hopefully we'll get a nice shot of Indian Summer... and that one last glorious weekend when the weather warms up enough we can visit the pumpkin patch without coats... maintenance the yard (rake leaves)... and get ready to hunker down for the Winter... I've noticed our psycho squirrels are BUSY BUSY BUSY too... I wonder if they know something we don't? It's getting chillier... the leaves are STARTING to change... the sky takes on that "Autumn Blue" color... and "The Change" begins...

Desperately Seeking Diane...

I have been asked (just in everyday chitchat) if I could sit and chat it up with ANYONE in the world... WHO would I choose... Hmmmmmmmm... there ARE quite a few... BUT... the ONE PERSON I would SO LOVE to sit and chat it up with is DIANE KEATON... I think she would be a VERY INTERESTING person to chat with... about her movies (which I have seen EVERY ONE)... her life... but mostly her STYLE... I LOVED her style in Annie Hall... in ALL the Father of the Brides... DEFINITELY in The Other Sister (which BTW is my ALL TIME FAV MOVIE)... and ESPECIALLY in Something's Gotta Give (my FAVORITE MOVIE LINE EVER... 'I'm just a turtleneck kinda gal') and in Because I Said So (the locker room scene with the WHITE COTTON BRIEFS made me think we could be long lost sisters!)... CLASSIC... CHIC... TIMELESS... AND she even drives my DREAM CAR (a Range Rover)!!!... I once had a dream that I met Diane Keaton (the dream kinda resembled the storylone of the movie Desperately Seeking Susan)... Shopping has been tough lately... I mean HONESTLY... TOO "old" for the "trendy" stores (and having the word "PINK" emblazoned across my ass just doesn't seem very CLASSY to me)... TOO "young" for the "matron stores" (I AM a bit young for the stretchpants and matching embroidered tops)... I am desperately seeking A STYLE... MY STYLE... ANY STYLE... and am still... Desperately Seeking Diane... even if only in my dreams... :o)

"My Favorite Girl"...

I waited so long to have my daughter... and when she arrived I was elated... a daughter!!! Someone to share all my "girlie" passions with... deciding what name to bestow her with was pretty easy... being from the South (and a Truly Southern Girl) it is typically traditional to give your daughter the MAIDEN NAME of their maternal grandmother (my Mother)... so that is exactly what we did... hyphenating it with a "good Catholic name" (husband's request) and giving her my mother-in-law's MAIDEN NAME as her middle name... Lilley-Katherine Kalo... Lilley-Kate for "short"... Anyway... we were playing a little "game" one day... and I was calling her by every name I could think of but her OWN name... when all of a sudden she said to me (in a quite serious 5 year old "tone")... "Mommy... remember... I'm Lilley-Kate... Your Favorite Girl!"... to which I hugged her tightly and said "Yes... Lilley-Kate... My FAVORITE Girl"...

Welcome to The BATCAVE...

The other evening I was standing at the kitchen counter doing some eBay work... listening to an ENYA CD (in the spacesaver CD player mounted under the kitchen cabinets directly in front of where I was working)... all of a sudden I heard like a "crackling" noise... Hmmmmm... that's weird... then I heard it AGAIN... could it be the speaker misbehaving on the CD player?... it has a tendency to "crackle"... (we need a new spacesaver)... so I turn off the CD player and continue working... and hear the "crackling" noise AGAIN... ok... WHERE is it coming from?... I look off to my right... towards the kitchen sink (which is on an angle in the corner) and windows... THEN I hear a "ticking" noise... I move TOWARDS the sink and windows and notice THE VALANCE MOVE... I lean down a bit and it's a BAT in the corner of the FREAKING WINDOW!!!... OK... I IMMEDIATELY proceed to start SCREAMING... I mean like horror movie SCREAMING... which in turn makes the bat start FLAPPING IT'S WINGS (still in the corner of the window)... So I continue SCREAMING and start STOMPING my foot... (I should mention that I was NOT alone in the house... EVERYONE was home... son upstairs... husband and daughter in the Family Room... Dog in her kennel... WHO do you think came RUNNING into the kitchen upon hearing my SCREAMS???? Care to take a guess? NOONE... not one single person... not even the DOG!!! I could've been being murdered... SCREAMING and STOMPING and NOONE came rushing in to see what the hell was going on... SO... I start screaming my husband's name... FINALLY he comes into the kitchen... "WHAT are you screaming about?"... I point to the window and TRY to say "BAT"... but by this point I can't catch my breath... "Stop screaming... someone is going to call 911" says my husband... finally I get out "BAT" as I RUN out of the kitchen... into the Family Room... GRAB my daughter (making her spill her container of favorite buttons which makes her mad) and pull her into our downstairs powderroom and SLAM the door... I press my ear up against the door and don't hear ANYTHING... OMG... the BAT has gotten my husband!!! WHAT am I going to do???? "OK... you can come out... it's gone" my husband says from the kitchen... "What do you mean it's GONE... did you kill it? Show me the BODY!!!"... "No Lala... I didn't KILL IT (he said he thought that would be mean (he's a softie like that)... I let it out the window"... "WHAT??? THE WINDOW WAS OPEN????"... NOT possible... b/c THAT particualr window doesn't have a screen and is WAY HARD to crank open... So my huband being the LOGICAL one says "The humidity must've popped the top of the window away from the casing b/c there is a little "crack"... the BAT was STUCK half IN and half OUT"... ok "WHAAAAAAAAT the hell does THAT mean? The BAT was trying to get INTO the house? WHY?" Of course... my husband isn't ALWAYS a logical thinker and says "Maybe it was too hot outside for it..."... yea... right GENIUS it needed some AC relief... WHATEVER... SO... the BAT was let free... my daughter came out of the bathroom and informed me that I had made her drop all her favorite buttons and "Would you please help me pick them up Mommy?" (which I did)... and things returned to "NORMAL"... although NOW... every night before we head upstairs to bed... My husband goes on BAT PATROL... I make him take a flashlight and check EVERY WINDOW and corner INSIDE the house... and THEN go OUTSIDE and check the windows... (That'll teach him to not come RUNNING when I am SCREAMING!)... I am on the hunt for a housesign... nothing gaudy... something stylish and discreet that reads "WELCOME TO THE BATCAVE"...

Finding a LEAK...

You know how when you have a leak... and then try to determine exactly WHERE the leak is originating from? Well... I have come up with a little "method"... OH... BTW... I'm NOT necessarily referring to WATER when I say "LEAK"... just so ya know!... To find a "leak" I will typically "give a little twist" to some info that is passed on (usually the suspected leak is the only one to get the info)... and then sit back and wait... IF the info finds its way back to me (which it usually does)... and contains the little "twist"... then the leak is found... I know this is a pretty "backhanded" way to "catch" a leak... but... it has worked TWICE for me in the past... let's see if I can make it 3 out of 3... time will tell... too bad though that finding a WATER leak isn't quite as easy!

It's a CHANDELIER...

We've made lots of improvements since moving into our home 3 years ago... some not so noticable (rewiring)... some VERY noticible (stripping LOTS of wallpaper and painting)... but the ONE thing we have done that has given us the biggest satisfaction and made the most visual difference in the house is replacing the CHANDELIER in the dining room... I know... no "big" deal right... and it was a fairly "cheap" improvment (under $200)... BUT... it has made a WORLD of difference... my husband even put the switch on a dimmer... so in the evenings I turn it on to create a soft glow in the DR (we LOVE the way it looks from the OUTSIDE of the house)... so now... every time we make an improvement (either inside or outside) and we are very happy with it... we say "It's a CHANDELIER"... When I purchased a houseplaque with our housenumber on it and removed the CHEESIE numbers from on the front door I said to my husband "It's a CHANDELIER"... and he agreed... NEXT year we are planning to replace the flagstone patio out back with tumbled brick... and make it a bit bigger... it's been in the planning since we first moved in... and we are very excited... we both think once it's done we'll sit out there relaxing and look at each other and say "It's a CHANDELIER"...

No "Cookie Cutter" for Us...

For years my husband and I would "dream" about our first "home" (we rented or lived in military housing for the first 16 years of our marriage)... and ONE thing we always agreed on was that we didn't want a "cookie cutter" home... one that looked EXACTLY the same as every other third house in the neighborhood... we wanted an "older" home with character... little things that you wouldn't typically find in today's NEWER homes... so when it came time to purchase our home we were THRILLED to find a 75 year old TUDOR style home in an established tree lined neighborhood... although it DID need a bit of work... the previous owner hadn't touched the inside of the house (literally) since his wife had passed in the early 80s)... we were excited... and purchased the home... 3 years later and after LOTS of work (entirely rewiring the house to replace the ORIGINAL wiring... stripping LOTS of wallpaper... painting... landscaping... ect) we have come to a conclusion... we LOVE our home... No "Cookie Cutters" for us... at least not in the near future!

Near?... Far?... Yes Near... No Far...

Well... I have been "four-0" for a month now... The other evening my husband brings home some work for me to "proofread" for him... So I look down at the papers... then pick up the papers... bring them NEAR... Hmmmmm... didn't work... so I extend my arm to move the papers FARther away.... Hmmmmm... better... so I tilt my head back slightly and bring the papers a BIT closer... NOPE.. move the papers FARther (still with my head tilted slightly back and move into better light)... PERFECT... Yea... got out my cute "readers" last night (that I had bought in ANTICIPATION of this "EVENT") I will be having an "offical" eye exam at the end of the month... can I tell ya though... I'm NOT liking this whole "four-0" thing... I'm hoping it just takes time to grow into!

Same Mother... and Same Father...

My children are almost 14 years apart... our oldest (son) just turned 19 and our youngest (daughter) is 5 ... it wasn't PLANNED that way... it just happened... they both have the SAME MOTHER (me) and the SAME FATHER (my husband)... it bothers me (although I am not sure why) that people ASSUME that it is my second marriage (which I have been asked)... for a time whenever I would tell people the ages of my children I would automatically add "Same Mother/Same Father"... For years I had to hear people comment on the fact that our son was "an only child"... or answer the question "Why don't you have more children?"... "Do you only want one child?"... Sometimes people can be very "bold"in their questions and comments... I didn't feel then and I don't now that I should have to explain the "reason" for the age difference between our children... although I will add... they BOTH have the SAME MOTHER (me) and SAME FATHER (my husband) enuf said!

20 Days and Counting...

In 20 short days my youngest will head off to Kindergarten... and I am sad... sad sad sad... just like when we sat and watched our oldest graduate from high-school last year I am wondering where the time has gone... we have worked diligently to "prepare" youngest child for the "big step"... ALL DAY KINDERGARTEN... we have practiced all the "required material" (letters, numbers, name, address, phone number, birthday)... basic sight word reading... taking turns AND sharing (although this has been tricky at times)... Played "cafeteria"... practiced using the term RESTROOM (THAT has been quite hilarious at times)... Youngest child has approached each "task" with enthusiasm and willingness and I have realized that my "baby" is nolonger a "baby"... :o( We will spend the next 20 days continuing to learn and re-enforcing what we have already learned... I don't doubt that the first few days will be "rough" for youngest child (and me)... I have decided to offer to volunteer at the school... I think it will help ME make the transition much easier... but I am still sad... but maybe more of a "happy-sad" if that is possible.

SO EXCITED!!!!

I am a COMPLETE and utter REALITY SHOW JUNKIE... LOVE them... and my Summer Reality Show for the past 8 years has been BIG BROTHER... I was a bit bummed as this year I didn't get the live feed... and we don't have SHOWTIME... BUT... WE DO NOW!!! My FABULOUSLY THOUGHTFUL husband went down to the cable company (he had to upgrade our modem) and got me SHOWTIME!!! I'm am so excited!!! So... now you know where I'll be between 1am and 3 am every night!!! :o)

Over the River and Through the Woods...

We are leaving tomorrow for a short visit with my parents... our oldest will be staying home and holding down the fort (plus he ahs to work)... but our youngest is so excited! We haven't seen "Grandma and Papa" since May when they came up fo rher dance recital... it will be an especially exciting visit as we will be seeing some friends... and my sister... who is expecting TWINS around Thanksgiving... a boy and girl... our daughter is so excited as we will have presents for the babies! So we will leave tomorrow and be back on Monday afternoon... God I hope I can stand my Mother for that long... we have a kinda love/hate relationship... we both hate to LOVE each other... so it can get pretty "intense" suring visits... I'm keeping my fingers crossed... I'll be back on Monday evening! :o)