Not Me! Monday

Oh, wow, where to begin. I did not spend most of my "have the house to myself" day sitting around reading The Shack and napping. I did not spend Friday night sitting by the fire pit drinking wine and enjoying the company of friends. I did not laugh hysterically as Claire the cat chased a lizard. I did not eat out more than I ate in last week. I certainly did not not leave camp yesterday before Youngest Child was unpacked and set up in her cabin. I could have very well not been the last one to get there and the first one to leave. Oopsie! I did not make my new teammate mad because I did not tell her that I didn't know what I was teaching, what she was teaching, and that I didn't care because I had two weeks of vacation left. I did not forgot to feed the dog one day.

Now, pop on over to MckMama's blog and see what others did not do this week...

Edited to add: I most certainly DID NOT stand by and watch helplessly as Oldest Child carried Claire's new play toy a dead lizard outside.

An Open Letter

Dear Not Me and I Don't Know:

This time you have gone too far. I've been putting this letter off for a long time. Always before, what you took was either (a) replaceable or (b) not so important. But this time, I will not let you get by with it.

When I realized my Microsoft Works installation disk was missing, I figured I'd find it later. When my favorite earrings weren't where I'd last put them, I figured Ms. Donna had put them in a safe place. When I'm looking for a movie that I know I bought, I guessed it would turn up later. When I couldn't find any of the 638 flashlights we'd bought for the camper, no big deal.

Now that you've taken my digital camera, complete with memory card and power supply, I demand an answer. We even had a Family Fun Night that included a Find the Camera party. When that didn't turn up the camera, I knew we were in trouble. When Oldest Child cleaned her entire room and the camera was still missing, I began to panic. Now that it's been over a week and I've wracked my feeble little brain of when I saw the camera last, cleaned places in my house I haven't cleaned since we moved in, and still no camera, I have no other choice than to expose you for what you are...ruth-less.

I am onto you now. You have crossed the line, gone over the limit, and I will make you pay. Or, if I don't find the camera, I guess I'll be the one who's paying.

Sincerely,
fabthemayor

Update

Yesterday was somewhat productive. I cleaned the laundry room (hold your applause, please!) because the new dryer looked out of place amid all the various and sundry clothes piled high on the counters. So now, laundry is caught up, including put away...the counters are cleaned off, the dryer is neat and clean on top. We'll have to see how long it stays that way.

Then I moved to the "bill cabinet". I bought a cute antique-looking cabinet at a yard sale a few years ago that fit perfect in my kitchen. A perfect place to hide things. I have one of my violets sitting on top. I bought one of those clocks/weather predictor/temperature inside and outside thingys at Home Depot over the weekend. It looked out of place amid the piles of bills and other junk that had accumulated. And once I cleaned off the top, I had to clean it out. It became too easy just to throw stuff in there and close the door. I should have taken a before/after picture to show you the progress that was made in the house yesterday. Oh, my, I just go sit and admire the handiwork. DH was impressed, to say the least. He even commented that I am on such a roll I may need to become a Stay Home Mommy again so I can continue my clean-sweeping ways. Don't go overboard, DH...don't go overboard! One project a day is enough...

The Official "To Do" List

I don't think I am the only school teacher who spends the school year making a huge list of things that will be accomplished during the summer. I work in a system that is basically "year round" school which means I go back to school the end of July (the 24th to be exact - not that I'm counting or anything), but I get a fall break in October and a winter break in February. The board says it improves test scores; I just like having a job, given today's economy.

This summer's list included painting the trim on the windows, cleaning out my closet, stripping wall paper and painting the girls' bathroom, putting down "hardwood" floors in Youngest Child's bedroom, cleaning out the cabinets in the kitchen that didn't get cleaned out last summer. Considering how time consuming each of these jobs is, plus how many time-consuming jobs are on the list, coupled with the heat and humidity that is Atlanta, to say I had "high hopes" is a vast understatement.

Add to that the fact that I spend two weeks an enormous amount of time mourning/recalculating because special saints who were close to me went on to their greater reward, I'm ashamed to say that this may be the summer that absolutely nothing on the list gets accomplished. Considering I have less than three weeks of vacation left, I may just take this summer officially off.

I was sitting around tonight reading various blogs I enjoy, and low and behold, it is not a lost summer afterall. I'm stupid . Dawn over at Because I Said So gave away a little, itsy bitty secret about how to cross out words.

So now, even if the girls don't have their new sparkling white bathroom, my windows don't get painted, my witty, wise cracking humor will now be made even more evident because Dawn shared her little secret.

Not Me!

How could I have forgotten it is Monday already! I have been saving up my "not me's" all week so I could share them especially with you!

- I did not keep my best friend's kids so she could accompany her husband to Hilton Head Island on a business trip.
- I did not help organize a 4th of July "block party" in my neighborhood. It just happened to include two dear, sweet neighbors who never get to visit with the neighbors.
- I did not keep avoiding my dogs' scratching; if I avoid the scratching, they don't have fleas. Right???
- I did not go on Friday and buy a new dryer because the other one had officially bit the dust. It wasn't the timer - it was the motor. They don't make dryers like they used to.
- I did not go out to dinner tonight at the Japanese restaurant.
- I did not continuously use my girl friend's laundry room the whole time I was at her house (hey, what can I say - it's the Get What You Pay For Babysitter!
- I did not leave her children with Oldest Child one evening while I went to get my hair done (on top of what it cost to get my hair done, I had to add in babysitting fees!)
- I did not almost forget about "Not Me!" Monday!

Proud to be an American

I wasn't going to post today; after all, what could I say that hasn't already been said before. How could I possibly expound on what freedom is or why we have it. But then I read this, and couldn't stop myself. This happens to be my across-the-street neighbor, and no, I haven't checked it against any of the "scam" web sites. It really doesn't matter if it's true or just a good story, now does it?

From someone who has been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, and who is trying vainly to figure out how to give back, it's just good to read how some people still show how proud they are to be American. When we go anywhere with The Dude dressed in his uniform, he is treated with utmost respect. We have been shown appreciation, had our meals bought at restaurants, and saluted, just to name a few. I have been to the airport with The Dude and had people clap and salute him. Unfortunately, it was when he was going to and coming from Iraq. I have also been to the airport when it was my turn to do the clapping and saluting. One of the things I want to do when I retire is volunteer with the USO at the airport. Hopefully by then, there won't be any servicemen and women going to war. Hopefully by then, all the servicemen and women will be shipping off to train, or to keep peace somewhere. Hopefully by the time I retire, the wars will be over and parents won't have to send their sons and daughters in harms way so that we can stay free.

So however you celebrate Independence Day, remember to say an extra special prayer for those who are in harms way and for those they left behind to carry on while they're gone. But for the grace of God go I. Happy Independence Day.

Not Me!

For those of you who haven't read about dear, sweet Stellan, you may not know about Not Me! Monday. Since I have been so lack in blogging lately, I decided it would be a great way to get back into the blogging mode. And as I sit here trying to think of what I didn't do this week, quite a bit comes to mind...

- I did not secretly wish DH couldn't fix the dryer so I could go get another one. (But I must confess, I won that one - he gave in this afternoon when the new timer came it and it still didn't work. I asked him if he couldn't fix it because it couldn't be fixed or because he was too tired to deal with it. When he confessed it was lack of sleep, I agreed to wait until this weekend to see if it, too, needs to go to dryer heaven. That will make THREE dryers we have gone through in 17 years...not sure I like those odds.)
- I did not go pick up Chinese for dinner because when DH works doubles, we have to eat dinner at 3:30 in order to eat as a family. It's not too hot to cook dinner at 3:30 in June in Atlanta.
- I did not hold off cleaning up the camper from the beach (too hot to cook, too hot to clean the camper...)
- I did not sort through the laundry and see what could be hung on the deck to dry, what could wait until the dryer got fixed, and what we had to have for the week
- I certainly did not sit and read blogs instead of doing what needed to be done around the house
- I also did not leave OC at the skating rink after it closed last Monday. We thought it closed at 11 so I was going to pick her up at 10:30. I get a phone call at 9:58 from OC telling me that the rink closes at 10. Guess she forgot the fact that we live, oh, hmmm, 20 minutes from the rink! I send The Dune running out the door to go pick her up and I stayed on the phone with her until he got there. Glad there was a lot of other parents slow in picking up their kids, too.
- and last but certainly not least, I absolutely, beyond the shadow of a doubt did not spend too much time watching TV last week.

Long Summer

It's been a long summer already at our house. I know I haven't been posting regularly lately; I've been too busy living. But I am taking time now to sit back, ponder, relax, regroup, turn over some new leaves and forge ahead. What on earth am I talking about, you ask?

I live in the country. Not the country like Ree. But the country where you can still call your neighbor and borrow a cup of sugar. The country where you see your neighbor out planting flowers and you go over and help. The country where you see lots of cars parked in the driveway nextdoor and you call to see (a) if there is a party or (b) who died. When we bought our house seven years ago, God told us from the beginning that we were where we were supposed to be. Too many chips had to fall in place for us to be in this particular house. And once I got to know our neighbors, I am so glad we followed His lead.

We don't live in a subdivision; we have a small circle of houses of retired couples living around us so I never have to worry about our house being burglarized (Hear that, Mr. Big Bad Robber - our neighbors are always watching you...). And then H World Adventures lives across the street. I wouldn't take anything for my neighbors.

Our comfy little circle 'o friends was rocked to its core this week. Our dear, sweet Fibo went to her reward with the angels. She was diagnosed back in November with a very rare form of cancer. She had radiation throughout the winter, and was declared cancer free in February. We celebrated with her. Our celebration was short-lived when it returned in March. This time, the doctors decided it would be best to attack it with chemotherapy. We did what we knew to do. We cooked for her, threw her a "hat party" so she would have plenty of hats to wear with her various outfits. We went and sat with her and kept her company. We rallied when we needed to rally.

Being a teacher, I was extremely anxious for summer to get here. Not because I didn't have to go to work, but because I could go over and sit with Fibo. She was going to help me make another quilt because that's who she was...always quilting or painting. Since she was too weak to quilt, she was going to help me. It was going to be green and we already had the pattern picked out. Then when we finished that, we were going to make my Christmas tree skirt I've been going to make for three years. She was going to sit in the bed and tell me what I needed to do. I couldn't wait to get started.

Those plans have been put indefinitely on hold. I was able to spend some quality days with her at the beginning of June, then the girls and I had to go to West Virginia to attend my cousin's funeral. The cousin who was more like a grandmother than a cousin (another post for another day). Then we went on vacation. While we were on vacation, Fibo went into the hospital. She never came home.

Our neighborhood is sad. Our road is sad. I am sad. I know she's in a better place; I know she's not in pain anymore; I know everything happens for a reason. The rational side of me knows all of that. But the human side is broken. The picture is of Fibo and Oldest Child before the prom. This summer I am learning to do for others, to not put off tomorrow what I can do today, to take life by the horns. RIP, Fibo; you will be sorely missed.

Goals

Before I had kids, if anyone had told me how totally different each sibling would be, I would have thought they were exaggerating. Being the parent of two girls and a boy who are as different as night and day...and night again...I can totally stand behind that statement. Enter Oldest Child.

Oldest Child is very much her mother's child. I can see so much of myself in her. Only instead of squelching her creativity/individuality, we encourage it. She decides what she wants, what it will take to achieve it, and goes for it. The day she walked through the doors as a freshman at High School, she wanted to go to the prom as a freshman. She started talking about it in AUGUST people! I let her talk...and dream...and scheme...until oh about late February/early March. Then she started getting serious, and so did we.

She is involved in a church with a very active youth group. A guy from the youth group is a senior and needed a prom date. Oldest Child is a freshman and needed a date. We know him, we know his parents, we know Who and what he stands for...perfect match. DH and I felt safe with him, knew he would show OC a good time, and we, as her parents, wouldn't have to worry about letting our baby go to the prom. There comes a time when you have to sit back, pray, and trust that everything you have spent the past fifteen years telling her has sunk in.

It was a perfect night. The day went very smoothly. Youngest Child was occupied with a friend all day, out having fun. The day was totally devoted to OC...the way she wishes every day would be. Her wish was my command. M, OC's best friend, spent the day with us keeping us both calm. And from the time she woke up yesterday morning until sometime yesterday afternoon, my baby, my firstborn, my goal-oriented child turned into a princess.

Happy Anniversary, DH

Today is a special day. This time seventeen years ago, I walked down the isle of a church dressed in a long, flowing white dress. I didn't take my eyes off of his the entire walk down the isle. The love I saw then is the same love I see when I look into his eyes today. It was a beautiful spring day, sunny and hot (especially in a long sleeved dress!). The church was simply decorated; it was Easter weekend so we used the Easter lilies with a few bows strategically placed throughout. The ceremony was simple. We are, after all, pretty simple people.

We even held off leaving for our honeymoon (a week at the beach) until Monday. After all, DH's mother had Easter dinner and everyone was expected to be there. Nevermindthefact that you just got married yesterday. So we went to church Easter Sunday, then to the family lunch. Then bright and early Monday morning, set off for our first trip as a married couple.

There have been many trips to the beach since. There have been many happy days since. There have been many more lunches at DH's mothers since. We have shared with our girls our love for the beach, family time, and dinner at Mawmaw's (including last Sunday!).

Seventeen years encompasses a vast amount of territory. Three moves. At least seven new vehicles. Two campers. Three dogs. Three cats. A son who decided to join the Army and spent a year in Iraq. Thank God he is now safely home and living in our playroom. Nine job changes. Two births. Four churches. Three meals DH asked me to please not make again.

Here's hoping for another seventeen happy years. Happy Anniversary, DH. I remember all the details of our special day like it was only yesterday. I'd say "yes" all over again! Thank you for making me happy.

I Love Donna

Donna has been in our life for the past seven years...and I love her. She shows up every Monday morning like clockwork while OC, YC and I are getting ready for school. DH has already left for work and The Dude is either getting ready to leave for work or in the bed. She is as much a part of our family as the dogs or the cats. The girls love Donna almost as much as I do. Yes, Donna shows up every Monday morning, and when Donna leaves, I have a clean house.

I was a SAHM while YC and OC were at home; I quit my job when YC was six months old. And I stayed home with the girls until YC started pre-K. Then I signed my first contract and have been teaching ever since. But one of the negotiating points of my going back to work was getting someone to clean our house. I don't want to be gone all week and then spend all weekend cleaning the house. And Dear, Sweet Donna has been worth every penny we have paid for her.

No matter how many times we refigure or recalculate the budget, Donna is always right under the mortgage payment. I will miss groceries but I won't miss Donna. Call me spoiled, call it my way of stimulating the economy.

Case in point, we are on Spring Break this week. We went camping in the Castle that is our new camper. The dogs and The Dude stayed home. The dogs are going through a "mourning stage" with Midnight - they are doing crazy things they rarely ever do. This week, they decided to open the pantry with their nose and take out (1) peanut butter, (2) Crisco, and (3) Bisquick. Thankfully, the only one of the three they got opened was the Bisquick. They ate the whole box under the kitchen table. I have never ever been so thankful for tile floors. But I also had to do something I haven't done in forever...I had to mop my own floor. I have the biggest kitchen in the history of the world; gourmet cooks would kill for a kitchen this big. I just call it a lot of wasted space. But it is only Thursday and Donna won't be back until Monday and I couldn't leave Bisquick under my kitchen table for four more days. So I spent the morning cleaning up Bisquick and appreciating Donna.

And when I finished mopping my floor, I realized we don't pay Donna nearly enough money for what she does!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Bristol Motor Speedway is the mecca of Nascar racing. For those of you out there who don't like Nascar racing or don't understand Nascar racing, skip this post; return later for a non-Nascar-related post. For those of you who consider Nascar a competitive sport, happy reading. I have been a huge Nascar fan for as long as I have been with DH. About ten years ago, we started going to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the fall race. Been to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the longest race of the season. Even had garage passes a few races and been so close to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. talking to Michael Waltrip I've seen the blue in their eyes.

But it all paled in comparison to Bristol Motor Speedway. I've known people who have Bristol tickets. I've longed to go to Bristol. But, you see, if you follow Nascar, you know how hard Bristol tickets are to come by. When DH saw the commercial way back in February that said not only tickets to the spring race at Bristol were on sale, but also tickets to the Sharpie 500 Bristol night race were on sale, he turned me loose with his credit card blessings. And far be it from me to disobey DH...especially when a credit card purchase is at stake.

Those of you who know me in real life know I can justify anything. Those of you out there who need something justified, I'm your girl. But these are tickets that haven't even been available to the general public for over eight years. There has been a waiting list to get on the waiting list to get these tickets. Then, to see the commercial, it has to be fate. And so close to my birthday...even better. DH came up with the best birthday present in the history of the world. Chop it up to the recession that we're in, but now that we are Bristol season ticket holders, we have first chance at them from here on out. This time, we took two fiends. In August, we're taking OC and YC. NEXT March, The Dude, DH, and two of their friends are going. Not that we're planning or we're excited or anything.

So last weekend, in the midst of the Midnight drama, we left for Bristol. And the weather was beautiful. And the race was wonderful. And the company was wonderful. And then we drove all night after the race and I realized once again, that I am not, by any stretch of the imagination, a night person. I was a zombie all day Monday and most of Tuesday. But now I can say I've been to Bristol; and I plan to be back for a number of years to come. Perhaps even taking my grandchildren to the coveted Sharpie 500. All because DH said yes.

Oh Christmas Star of Midnight

It's been a sad week at our house. Our beloved Midnight had to be put to sleep. Our beloved Midnight that was DH's Christmas present our first Christmas as a married couple. Our beloved Midnight who we have had longer than our children. Our beloved Midnight who has been there through welcoming two children home from the hospital, three moves, countless camping trips, numerous swims in Lake Lanier, and more chewed up tennis balls than I care to count.

We knew then end was inevitable; how many people can say they've had a dog live to be sixteen years old?! But I had complete and utter confidence in our vet and she assured us we would know when it was time. But even through "Snowstorm '09" she was out walking around on the deck trying to eat the snowflakes. She still barked when Spencer barked (whether she could actually hear the doorbell ringing, or knew Spencer was barking so she needed to bark we will never know), she wagged her tail when we came home. Walked around the yard and garage with DH because that was their special time. She wasn't in pain and she didn't suffer.

So in the midst of all the fun we had this weekend, it was bittersweet because a member of our family is gone. Already this week, I can't count the times I've been outside calling the dogs back in and almost called for Midnight. Or done the "dog count" and been looking for #3 when I saw only two. I'm sure there will be many, many more times to come when I call for her, or listen for her bark when Spencer is barking, or think of her when I see a tennis ball lying around.

So thank you, Midnight, for being our loyal, loving companion. Thank you for staying with me during Snowstorm '93 and '09. Thank you for sitting up with us countless nights rocking sick babies. Thank you for welcoming The Dude home from Iraq. Oldest Child thanks you for eating all those vegetables she told us she ate so she could get dessert. Thank you for helping me learn to stay home by myself at night when DH worked night shift....when you barked, you meant business and I'd better get up and see what it was. Thank you for being the best dog a person could ask for.

The Early Bird Gets...

...killed. Case in point:

This morning, on the way to church, these were beautiful, daffodils...in full bloom. Now, after 7 continuous hours of snow, this is what I'm left with. I love it when my daffodils bloom; it means I've almost survived the winter and it is almost time for spring (which just happens to be my favorite season). But, if it has to snow, there are three positives to the day: (1) school has already been cancelled for tomorrow, (2) DH is calling out tonight so he doesn't have to go to work and can be home to enjoy the fun with us, and (3) it's perfect snow capable of making snowballs and snowmen. And riding four-wheelers: OK...now go up and look at the 4-wheeler picture.

Things I've Never Done

Melanie over at This Ain't New York has quite an interesting list going on over at her place. Everyone always brags about what they've done and where they've been. She put a new twist on it. What have you never done? Some things I thought about I am chomping at the bit to get to do and other things on the list I have no plans to do. But it is an interesting list none the less.

1. I've never been in a car accident (yes, I know I just jinxed myself!). I was once put on a jury because of that fact. It was a car accident trial and the lawyer thought it was very interesting that I had never been in an accident.

2. I've never broken a "real" bone. What is a "real" bone you may ask. I've only had a broken elbow...how on earth do you break an elbow? Don't ask. It wasn't pretty. And it was when Youngest Child was about three months old and DH left at 5 to go to work and I had to get my dear, sweet neighbor to come over before 6:30 and get YC out of bed, change her, dress her, and put her in the car seat for me. Not fun.

3. I've never been on a cruise. Sometimes I want to cruise, sometimes I have no desire to. And since DH has absolutely no desire to cruise, this one will be totally my call. And since I have severe vertigo and can't fly without getting sick, I'm kinda leery about cruising. I love the idea but the thought of spending howeverlong on a ship throwing up doesn't appeal to me.

4. I've never stolen anything. Ever. From anyone. Not even a pack of gum.

5. I've never tried drugs. Ever. At all. This one will come in handy when YC and OC ask the question. Oh, wait...they read my blog. So now I guess they know. NO, YC and OC, I have never even attempted or experimented with drugs. My prayer is that you won't, either.

6. I've never ridden a snow mobile.

7. I've never owned a horse. Off the wall, I know. But I love horses.

8. I've never driven a convertible.

9. I've never cheated on my husband. Obvious, I know...just wanted to clarify.

10. I've never para sailed. Refer to #3 and the whole vertigo thing. Looks fun, but not worth the cost to me...I'd be sick for a week.

Now you know a little more about me. What about you...what have you never done?

Merry Christmas...almost

I love Chris Tomlin. He has some very powerful songs playing on our local Christian station. If my radio had a "repeat" button, I would constantly hit it when his songs came on. So one day a few weeks ago, it dawned on me to actually purchase one of his CD's. Love it! Perfect house cleaning music. Perfect clothes folding music (do you know how many clothes you can put away while singing praise songs up and down the hall!). Perfect dinner cooking music. Just perfect music. Period.

Then came Thanksgiving. And Thanksgiving means that I can officially get out all of my Christmas CD's. My Amy Grant, my Michael W. Smith, my Gary Chapman, and yes, even my Statler Brothers. And we sang. And sang. And sang. All the way through New Years.

Yesterday Oldest Child and I were coming home from one of the various and sundry errands we had to run after school. And she says, "Mom, put in your Chris Tomlin CD." "OC, I don't have a Chris Tomlin CD." "Yes, you do." You bought it ...yadda yadda yadda, word word word. No, OC, I wanted to buy a Chris Tomlin CD but I bought a Christmas CD instead. No, mom, you didn't. You bought it and it's blue and black and where is it put it in the CD player I want to listen to it NOW! So luckily she got sidetracked and we made it home without any major fights.

So this afternoon when I picked her up from dance practice, again she wants to listen to THE CHRIS TOMLIN CD PLEASE! We go through the whole conversation again. She looks in the console of my truck and guess what she found? Low and behold, I did buy the Chris Tomlin CD. And I forgot about it. And she found it. So it was like finding a late Christmas present. For ME! And we got to sing praise songs all the way home.