May 14, 2009

Change Will Do You Good

Here we go again with another new hairstyle. I really liked the last one, especially the back of my head, but I didn’t like the front and sides – how it always fell across my face when the wind blew. I hate hair on my face or in my eyes. I was always tucking it behind my ears. I really wanted something even shorter with layers so it would stay off my face. When I walked in the back door last night, everyone was eating dinner with Mitchell facing me and Jerry’s back toward me. Mitchell looked at me, his eyes and mouth grew wide and he immediately looked at Jerry. That’s when Jerry turned around, and then Mitchell said, “You look like a boy, mom,” followed by “you need to comb your hair.” I love his honesty. I think it’s going to take other people longer to get used to seeing it this short, but I just love it. It looked a bit more ridiculous last night due to all the hair product and styling that you get while your hair is being done. You know how it is at the salon, they put all these hair products in your hair and style it like you’d never ever wear it in real life. Extreme hair. She used a round brush on the top in the back, and honestly I felt like Marge Simpson with how high it was. Ridiculous. Today, it’s much more normal looking, but I think the change is fun and extremely easy. The *before* picture below is from a wedding we attended this weekend.

Posted on May 14, 2009 at 02:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

No Room at the Inn

I called the vet this morning to make boarding arrangements for Emma and Angus while we are on vacation. It seems they can fit us in for the annual vaccinations, but they are completely booked for July as far as boarding goes. We’ve never had to book so far in advance, and I’ve never run into trouble before booking them with our vet. I don’t mind going with a kennel, but ever since Angus has had diabetes, I’ve preferred that the pets stay with the vet. Angus requires insulin injections every 12 hours, and I feel he gets better care at the vet. I checked with the kennel about a mile away, but I don’t know that I want to leave them with complete strangers in a new and scary environment and they only take dogs. There is a list of neighborhood kids who advertise babysitting, house sitting, pet care, and lawn services, but I don’t know about handing over the keys to a teenager. Two words: Risky Business. Our neighbors seem the most sensible and trustworthy. They have three kids, the youngest is Rachel’s BFF and their oldest daughter used to babysit for us when she was a teenager. She’s early twentysomething now and recently moved back home to save money. She babysits and started an at-home jewelry party business. I called her this morning to see if she could/would watch the pets and she actually seems excited. I hope it works out because I will feel better having someone stay at the house and her parents are good neighbors and friends.

Posted on May 14, 2009 at 02:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

May 13, 2009

Disney World, Here We Come!

The kids have three more weeks until school is out for the summer. These last few weeks always seem to fly by with final tests, reports, parties, and field day. It’s time to register the kids for their summer camp choices and fit a family vacation in there, too.

This is the year we are finally taking the kids to Disney World for a week of all things Disney. We will be going in July, and it will be our first long-distance family road trip. I know I'm asking for it because it was my idea to drive to Orlando from Texas -- not only save money but to have the freedom that comes with having our own car and being on our own schedule. Remind me later, that it was my idea to drive, if two children come home with their ears boxed and mouths taped shut. A friend told me that this would not happen if we travel with the kids strapped to the roof of the car and the luggage in the back seat.

I thought it would be convenient to stay at a Disney resort, especially with transportation to and from the various parks, but then I realized that we would be setting ourselves up to be totally saturated by the Large Mouse. I don't want to be Disney-tized. Sure, I want the parks to be fun for the kids, but we need a place to relax and chill out at the end of the day. I need a washer/dryer and a kitchen so we can have our own meals and not be on the Disney fast food wagon. We are going to stay at a private condo less than 2 miles from the park which came with high marks from a friend who stayed there with her family.

Now, if I could just figure out the park ticket and pass options. If anyone has any recommendations on what to consider when purchasing park tickets, let me know. It’s like picking out features for a new car or computer with all the options like Park Hopper, water parks, and so on.

Posted on May 13, 2009 at 03:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

April 20, 2009

Weirdo Magnet

Since joining Facebook back in December, I've gotten a fair number of strange emails through that site. Most of them make me laugh. Sometimes I roll my eyes and am thankful for the DELETE button. I'm feeling particularly devilish tonight, so I'm outing whomever sent this to me. Here's yesterday's pearl from Tom. What do you think?

Hello lets get to know each other..

Between You and Thomas Tenbarge

April 19 at 12:59pm

This is tom,39 years old,i am very loving,affectionate,simple to get along,i always like to treat a woman i love like there is no more women in the whole world,i pamper my woman,treat her good,hold hands and give her all the love she needs to be happy,i am very down to earth as my friends use to say,i have a big heart and a loving spirit..I am into oil and gas servicing system.I have a daughter living with my ex wife,i just need a good and loving woman,who will love me for me and take good care of my heart,i have alot of things to offer the right woman,if you know you are the right woman,reply me and lets get to know each other better.I think we should chat on yahoo messenger to get to know each other faster..Hope to read from you soon..My yahoo id is tom_tgent@yahoo.com and my skype is tom4luv.Hope to hear from you soon...

Tom

Posted on April 20, 2009 at 10:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

April 13, 2009

Easter 2009

This year we held our Easter egg hunt on Saturday because rain was predicted on Easter Sunday. Mitch complained that it was too easy last year. He offered to show us some better hiding places for the eggs, but that would have defeated the purpose. They waited in the TV room while Jerry and I hid more than 100 plastic eggs filled with coins, candy, and stickers. I told Jerry we should make it really hard by not hiding any eggs and letting them run loose searching for eggs that weren't even there, but that would have been really mean, right? We did have about a dozen eggs that were super hard to find and those helped make the hunt last longer. All in all, they were pretty happy and had fun scrambling around the yard.

The Easter Bunny came up with better hiding places for the Easter baskets on Sunday morning. Mitch's was hidden in the fireplace, and Rachel's was in the master shower. It took them a while to find them, but they seemed to have a lot of fun with it. The skies were dark and rainy for most of the morning on Easter Sunday. The sun came out mid-afternoon, and it turned into a beautiful day. We had our traditional ham dinner, much to Jerry's delight. Rachel and I watched the Sound of Music last night which she really seemed to enjoy.

Posted on April 13, 2009 at 09:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 07, 2009

Our Spanish-speaking TV

The strangest thing happened last night. Rachel and I were watching Dancing With the Stars in the TV room when (suddenly and without warning!) the audio changed from English to Spanish. Neither one of us touched the TV or the remote. The remote was sitting on top of the entertainment center. Just like that, we were listening to everything in Spanish. We could still enjoy the dance routines and see the scores on the paddles. I thought someone was playing a trick on us. It was as if someone with a giant remote in the sky pushed a button and changed our world from English to Spanish. Jerry even left the Michigan/NC game in the living room to see if he could figure it out. He couldn’t, so we turned on the closed captioning and read the text. We are now stuck with a Spanish speaking TV.

I want my English speaking TV back. If you can figure this one out, let me know.

Posted on April 7, 2009 at 11:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

March 24, 2009

Robert.Robert.Robert.

When we moved into our house 9 years ago, one of the things I liked most was the overall friendliness of the neighbors. The door bell would ring and someone would be standing there with a pie or a handshake. Homes have sold and some of our friends have moved on, but a lot of them are still here, original homeowners when our subdivision opened up. Since then, our once tiny, quiet haven out in the middle of nowhere has exploded with new homes and businesses. I miss the former quiet and solitude where we used to have deer and the occasional skunk in the neighborhood. We get a lot more traffic through the neighborhood, and I don’t like it when people come speeding down the street treating it like an interstate.

One of the first couples we met were Susan and Richard. They live two doors down. They bought their house when the subdivision first opened and are still here. Their house caught on fire a few years ago, and they decided to rebuild rather than move. Here’s the thing. Richard is not Richard; his name is Robert. I have been calling him Richard for nearly 9 years and just recently he told me that his name is Robert. How embarrassing is that! And it’s not like he looks like a Richard or that I know a bunch of Richards. I’m not confusing him with someone else. For some reason, I got his name wrong from the get go, and now it’s stuck. We laugh about it now, but even this weekend, I said, “Hello Richard!” as we were checking our mail at the same time, and he immediately said, “Robert!” I wonder when his real name will finally sink it? Robert.Robert.Robert. Is it going to take 9 years?

Speaking of neighbors, we have a new set of neighbors right across the street from us, and they are really friendly. I never caught their names, because we are always coming and going, waving and talking across the street while raking the yard, etc. They had a party at their house on Saturday night with lots of cars parked out front and down the street. They came over to let us know that one of their guests had parked in front of our house and couldn’t get the car started when it came time to leave, so they were going to leave it parked overnight. As they were turning to leave, I finally asked what their names were, and he said, “Bindu and Richard!” I just started to laugh. Finally I have a neighbor named Richard!

Posted on March 24, 2009 at 01:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 23, 2009

Spring Break

We had fabulous weather during Spring Break last week. Clear blue skies with 75-degree weather and no humidity. We did a whole lot of nothing and yet we had a lot of fun.

We had to do some boring things like get groceries, go to the dentist, give the dog and cat a bath, and rake some leaves on another windy day. With so many kids around, it’s inevitable that someone will forget to close the gate, and Emma will take advantage and escape. It’s never fun to go chasing after her down the street trying to round her up and get her back inside. We did take her over to the dog park to let her run free. The house was a continuous revolving door of kids wanting freeze pops or push-ups. I started off each morning with two pitchers of Kool-Aid on ice, and they were empty after lunch. The kids sat at the patio table doing artwork one afternoon and then had a jump rope contest in the driveway which drew a crowd. My son is a daredevil with his bike. I really don’t like it at all because he likes to ride his bike down the street and stand up on the bike seat while bent over to steer. Where do you draw the line between he’s just being a boy vs. this is plain dumb and dangerous?!

I took the kids down to the rodeo on Wednesday afternoon. It was family value day which meant the kids got in free and my ticket was only $4. Parking was $12, and tickets for the carnival rides and food were about $100. We got to see the pig races which were hilarious. We walked through the exhibit hall to see the small farm animals and collect animal cards at each location. The kids love riding the escalators, so I let them do it because there was no waiting line at all for the bathrooms upstairs. Up and down the escalators they went. A ride in and of itself. And totally free! The kids went to the Farmer’s Market which was a walk-through exhibit teaching kids about farming. They put on aprons and carried baskets while collecting things at each station and performed tasks like feed the chickens, pick up eggs, plant seeds, pick vegetables, milk the cows, and carry the produce to the farmer’s market. They “sold” their produce at the farmer’s market and collected fake money that they were able to “spend” at the grocery store. They were able to see how farmers plant and grow things and eventually harvest and sell their crops for money and then they saw the final product on sale in the grocery store. Mitch threw darts at balloons and won two stuffed animals. One for his sister, even, which was so kind. The rides were the most fun. It didn’t seem that crowded at all, but by the end of the day, there were long lines for food, rides, and tickets. I think we left at the perfect time.

The kids went to see Race to Witch Mountain. Funny, but I remember seeing Escape to Witch Mountain when I was a kid. Jerry and Rachel went to see Taylor Swift in concert on Friday night, while Mitch and I went to the Rockets game. He outgrew his Tracy McGrady jersey. He had his heart set on a Ron Artest jersey. I let him get one at the Rockets shop before the game because they were 40% off. Artest scored the most points that night, which made Mitch happy! Mitch is really excited about basketball, and the Rockets seem to be doing well heading into the playoffs. They are having another event this week where the kids can play basketball one-on-one with the Rocket players. Mitch will get to go if he manages to stay out of trouble.

Last night, we took a family bike ride through an adjoining subdivision. Our family bike rides are fun, but lately they’ve turned into a trip-to-the-convenience-store-to-buy-candy bars disguised as a bike ride, meaning we ride our bikes to get there and back. The kids got their candy bars and drinks and we continued riding through the other neighborhood and stopped at the new playground to try out the new equipment.

We had the windows opened most of the week to air out the house and enjoy the fresh air. Last night it was 80 degrees when we got back from our bike ride. I finally caved and turned on the AC. It kills me to have to turn on the AC when people to the north are still dealing with snow.

Posted on March 23, 2009 at 02:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

February 20, 2009

Time for an Update

I haven’t had time to really sit down and write anything. There is no good reason at all other than I seem to always be on the run and have things to do. When I do have some free time, I’ve not felt like writing. I joined Facebook back in December. It’s more of a casual way of keeping tabs on people, but I do like reading updates on my friends and family. If you’re a FB user and want to connect, let me know.

Since the last time I’ve written, yes, the Steelers did win the Super Bowl. Of course, I’m still reveling in the aftermath, but I’m not one to rub it in or act like an ass about it. The only thing worse than a sore loser, is a Sore Winner. I can’t stand that! If you happen to like the Steelers, then you know how much this 6th win meant to the Steelers, the city of Pittsburgh, and the fans.

Jerry: Another important milestone that we celebrated this month was Jerry’s 50th birthday. The only special request he had was his mom’s red velvet cake, which I finally made from scratch. I guess it was good because it disappeared in three days with only crumbs in the cake pan remaining. I don’t write much about Jerry because he and I have very different views on blogging, the internet, emailing, etc. We are both “old school,” in terms of values and accepting change in general, but I am more open. Jerry is very private and I know it bothers him to some extent that I even keep a blog, and he does not like Facebook either. We talked about it the other night and his comment was that it’s so impersonal. Although I told him that it is a social network – the key word being social – he doesn’t see it that way. He often jokes about the types of updates he would post, “sitting down to watch Lost,” “changing from ESPN to CNN,” “moved from the sofa to the recliner,” etc. Well, you get the idea. He prefers in person, face-to-face interaction. Second to that is the phone. I see it differently and really enjoy blogging and socializing the way I see fit. Out of respect for Jerry, I don’t say all that much about him, so I wanted to clear that up because I keep being asked if something is wrong with our marriage. Fear not! We are polar opposites in some ways, but otherwise very happily married coming up on 11 years. Jerry started working for a brand new company last November. It’s grown a lot in a few short months, and they are already moving into San Antonio.

Rachel had oral surgery a few weeks ago – one of the “phases” of her braces. She had seven teeth surgically removed (4 permanent and 3 babies). We were unprepared for the amount of blood and gore. Well, strike that. Let’s just say I am not good with blood and was really happy when Jerry got home that afternoon. The surgeon handed me a clear plastic bag with saline, the teeth and roots. It was so disgusting and made me throw up in my mouth just a little. The Tooth Fairy did come to the rescue, and Rachel is $20 richer. When the Houston Rodeo tickets went on sale in Ticketmaster Hell, I was poised over the keyboard waiting to buy tickets. For some reason, I was lucky and we were able to get 4 Jonas Brothers tickets and 2 Taylor Swift tickets for the rodeo, so she is looking forward to both of those concerts.

The kids lost both of their DS chargers, which meant the kids weren’t able to play with their dead DS players. After cleaning Mitchell’s room for the third time, I found one of the chargers last weekend, and now they are back in business. The kids love to text each other with their DS games, and Mitchell is just so happy to be back in Pokemon Diamond world. He is spending a lot of time shooting hoops in the driveway. He plays PIG and HORSE with his dad every night, and none of the neighborhood kids can beat him, even the 4th graders. Mitchell came home from school a few weeks ago with ringworm* on his face. After nearly two weeks of treatment, it’s almost gone. He had his school picture taken today, so I hope it doesn’t show. *Ringworm: See, right there. That is a perfect example. Jerry would be horrified if anyone knew Mitchell had ringworm. It's a part of our life, and I just choose to deal with life. Does anyone else have a spouse with different views on blogging and privacy?

There’s really not much new about me to report. I’m trying to think of what’s happened since I last updated. Oh, I got a new haircut. I’ll try to post some pictures of that for those who haven’t seen me on Facebook. It’s shorter and so much easier to take care of.

After reading what I wrote I realize that this post is more like one of those annual Christmas newsletters that people send out. I really love getting those newsletters, although I’ve never made time to send one of my own.

Posted on February 20, 2009 at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

January 18, 2009

Steeler Fans Make Noise

High fives all around to fellow Steeler fans!

Here’s to another Steeler victory today!!

Posted on January 18, 2009 at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

December 30, 2008

Someone Got a BB Gun . . .

It seems that we have our own little Ralphie Parker in this neighborhood. Someone got a BB gun rifle for Christmas, and we woke up this morning to find our car window shattered with a small BB bullet hole in the center. I’ll try to provide a brief update while I’m waiting for a call back from the glass company with an estimate.

My mom is feeling much better now. My parents left this morning on their way to Myrtle Beach for their 2-month R & R away from the snow in the north. I think they will enjoy it and they certainly deserve it after spending the past three weeks with us.

We went to Christmas Eve service, which is my favorite day and evening of the year. Grandma stayed home as she was pretty zonked out on 4 different meds. The kids had a snowball fight after church in the parking lot. They trucked in snow for all three services, and it was nice to see all the kids enjoying a small slice of winter wonderland.

Santa arrived in the wee hours of the morning. Mitch and Grandpa were the first downstairs to see the toys. Mitch's comment was, "this is the best day EVER!" Santa brought Mitch a basketball goal. Jerry and my dad finally finished getting it up last night, after digging a hole, pouring concrete, waiting for it to dry, and assembling everything. It was worth the wait, and we have one happy little boy. Santa brought Rachel a Hannah Montana Malibu Beach House, which she has been playing with ever since.

Jerry and I were able to get out for two different date nights, much to Mitch’s dismay. He was very upset when we were stepping out on Saturday night. “Why do you have to go on a date? You’re already married!?!” We saw Seven Pounds one night, which I just hated. This past weekend was much better. We went to Perry’s steakhouse for dinner and then saw Four Christmases which was entertaining. My dad and Jerry went over to the Katy Elks for a boys' night or whatever it is one does at the Elks.

My mom and I went over to the sports bar to see the Steeler/Browns game on Sunday since the game wasn’t on TV. My dad took Rachel over to the Y for a swim, while Jerry and Mitch went to the Texans/Bears game. Sunday afternoon, we spent 5 hours in the kitchen making perogies and various polish dishes. The fridge is stuffed with many meals, and some of it’s going to go into the freezer. In the meantime, I am getting the house in shape, doing laundry, and waiting for a call from the glass company.

<---- (rolling the dough)

(hairnet required!)

<--- (perogies)

Winding up with a snowball.

Posted on December 30, 2008 at 01:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

December 23, 2008

Fender Bender & ER Visit

I took my parents to the sports bar to watch the Steeler game on Sunday. There was a large crowd of Steeler fans there, which was nice. The Steelers lost and so did the Texans; but we still had a good time. It looks like we will be going back there next Sunday to see the Steeler Browns game since it won’t be shown on local TV. My parents have been to two of Mitch’s football games already, and we went to the Crazy Christmas show at the church last night. Lots of fun! We are looking forward to the Christmas Eve service, and they are guaranteeing snow on Christmas Eve which will be fun for the kids to play in after the service.

Today, my mom wasn’t feeling too well. While she was resting, my dad and I drove over to Sam’s with Mitch to pick up a few things. We got into a little fender bender in the parking lot. One of those monster pickup trucks was backing out of a parking space and slammed into the side of my dad’s car. Not a big deal, but then my mom called on the cell phone and needed to go to the ER. She’s having a CAT scan right now, and we are hoping that she won’t have to be admitted to the hospital.

Here is Mitch with his Steeler jersey on top of his Texans jersey. He just peeled off the Steeler jersey in time for the Texans game.

Posted on December 23, 2008 at 08:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)