Update on the Teenager...

Update on the teenager...

He is still loving his work at the golf course.

And he can't wait for Jr. Golf to start up in June.

Since he was so busy with golf, it put off his ability to study to take his drivers test for his license. But golf has been over for a couple of weeks, and I can't believe I am saying this... because I was soooo nervous and not ready for him to be driving last fall when he passed drivers education... but I am READY for him to get his license now, but he is dragging his feet!

What is that all about? When I was his age, I couldn't wait to have that freedom!

And seriously, I have really been working on being the grouchy bossy mom so he would WANT freedom from me too... but I guess he just loves us so much he doesn't ever want to break away or leave!

he he he... pretty sure it will be the end of me, once he discovers girls smell good.

Yard Sale hang ups...

After making tons of signs...and going through....
mountains...
and Mountains.... and mountains of stuff to price, that has totally taken over my garage...

and watching the weather minute by minute changing... but not changing too far from RAIN!!!

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I am already exhausted from my Yard Sale and it hasn't even happened yet.

I thought I was pacing myself... gathering things week after week, not doing anything all in one day.

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Then it hit me all at once... I was going to start this thing on a Friday, my boys would be at school and work. How would I haul the heavy stuff outside? How would I get the stuff outside and the signs put out without people showing up to shop before I was ready for them? What if I had to go to the bathroom, or eat during the day? What if the dogs had to go outside every 20 min like the always do?

How would I watch our stuff, sell our stuff, and not be able to ever take a break?

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I finally broke down and listened to what my strong silent mysterious man had been trying to tell me for days... I should wait until Saturday and they could help me. I couldn't do it all by myself!

I hated to face the truth, because I am all about

WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A WAY!

And I could have made this happen, but I am too exhausted to even try it by myself. And with rain still threatening... I DO NOT want to be running back and forth with tarps all day, trying to keep my junk dry.

So even though all my signs say Friday... our Yard Sale has turned into Saturday Only! Today I will get to finish pricing, and cross out all the Fridays on the signs and get ready for tomorrow.

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I am frustrated (mostly because I had visions of getting it all sold on the first day), but a little relieved now. It will be good to have the help I really need.

I really want it to be over soon. I hope it turns out to be worth while, and I find something rewarding or fun in the whole process and will look back and smile or even laugh at myself later.

50 Things I want to do this summer...

I want to get so excited for summer! It used to be the highlight of my year when I was a kid... looking forward to summer. It can be such an exciting time to change seasons and make a fresh start and enjoy the benefits of a different season. The fresh fruit... yummm watermelons, warm sunny weather, shorts, water sports.

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But I keep sitting around feeling sorry for myself and dreading doing things that might be a little challenging or difficult or just not fun.

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I am usually one to have a great attitude and have lived all these sayings until they are running through my blood... "be willing and able"," jump into things with both feet", "the more the merrier"," many hands make light work"," first we work then we get to play".

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But lately I am pouting and stomping my foot, and complaining about everything.

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Who have I turned into???

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I talked with a colleague about a motivational meeting he attended this past week, and he said the speaker challenged them to go 21 days without complaining. She gave him a wrist band to wear, and if he found himself complaining, he would have to move it to the other wrist and start the 21 days over again. It was day 2 for him and I asked how he was doing... he said he had moved the wrist band 42 times already! But he was conciously working on it!!

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I think we live the life we choose. We can make a choice to be happy!

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I challenged my family with the non-complaining and I am not doing very well so far, as a matter of fact I am doing so badly at it, that I don't even know how they are doing, all it has done is brought to focus what a grouch I really am!

I don't want to be OSCAR THE GROUCH anymore!!!!

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So I am starting with a different focus to help me get excited about summer...

I made a list of 50 things I want to do this summer.

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It was a quick list I threw together, and I might find some more meaningful things to put on it as I go, but I had to start somewhere! And get excited and have something to work on, focus on, and look forward to.

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50 Things I want to do this summer…
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1. Have a picnic and invite another family.

2. Go on a walk and take pictures of trees, flowers, dogs, etc.

3. Have a garage sale.

4. Go for a bike ride.

5. Volunteer at the local animal shelter or library.

6. Clean under the bed!

7. Bake some cupcakes and deliver them to friends for Family Night treat.

8. Have a game night with friends.

9. Take the dogs for a walk.

10. E-mail/write a friend I haven't spoken to in awhile.

11. Practice my calligraphy

12. Look through old family scrapbooks, photo books, and yearbooks.

13. Make a root beer float.

14. Go to the movies on the last day of school with Jacob.

15. Go window-shopping Downtown.

16. Send a package to the missionary.

17. Can tomatoes/spaghetti sauce/fruit.

18. Give the dogs a bath.

19. BBQ dinner on the grill.

20. Go to the $1 movie on Tuesdays for a lunch/dinner date.
21. Have a slumber party in the living room and watch movies and eat pizza and popcorn.

22. Plan a vacation we want to take next summer.

23. Plant grass seed in the bare patches in the yard.

24. Sign up for a class, and learn something new.

25. Have a bubble bath and do pedicures on each other with Jim.

26. Make a mixed CD of my favorite songs "The soundtrack of my life".

27. Get a shaved ice.

28. Take BBQ and salads to the farm at Scott and Jodi’s and shoot archery.

29. Color in a coloring book.

30. Read a book based on a movie I have seen.

31. Make a scrapbook of Jacob’s Halloween pictures.

32. Have a craft day with Aunt Fay.

33. Write in my journal everyday.

34. Spend the day at the library.

35. Draw or paint a picture.

36. Make a collage out of old magazines.

37. Run around in the sprinklers.

38. Go to a Basque museum.

39. Go out for lunch with a friend.

40. Go swimming at the pool

41. Take Jim to PF Changs.

42. Make something on the sewing machine.

43. Invite friends over and have a cold drink blender party.

44. Swing on the swings at the park.

45. Tie-Dye a t-shirt or bed sheets with Kool-Aid!

46. Make smoothies.

47. Learn how to define and spell 5 new words from the dictionary.

48. Make homemade ice cream.

49. Put on the radio and dance.

50. Camp out in the backyard!

SPT ~ Something Blue...

SPT ~ Something Blue...

This voting season is making me "BLUE"... and that is not red/white and blue... just blue!

But I got out of the house and voted regardless of my frustrations.

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They gave me a sticker, I am sure to console me after the gruling process, kind of like they do when you have to go into Walmart... they give you a smiley sticker at the door to help cheer you up before you have to go inside and endure the madness!!

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My sticker said "I voted". It mysteriously got stuck on my cheek! Very cute honey!

He just makes everything better!

Memorial Day Activities...

It turned out to be a quiet Memorial Day for us spent mostly at home.

After the flags were delivered, the boys went fishing. I stayed home and made some lemon pound cake and took some treats to our veteran neighbor.

All the fishing must have been exhausting because there were some serious naps going on later in the afternoon!

Taylor was too funny, she would sit up to get her picture taken...

Then collapse over on top of the pile like her head weighed 5 tons, fall dead asleep, and start snoring! The teenager and I were cracking up at her!

After nap time... the pups got to go for a ride.
Wahoo!!!

Happy Memorial Day...

As "my boys" left early this morning at 6am with the scouts to go post flags at homes around our community, I decided to get up and read some Memorial Day stories, to help me get in the mood and spirit of this special day.

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It helped me to remember and reflect...

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Memorial Day used to be a solemn day of mourning, a sacred day of remembrance to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Businesses closed for the day. Towns held parades honoring the fallen, the parade routes often times ending at a local cemetery, where Memorial Day speeches were given and prayers offered up. People took the time that day to clean and decorate with flowers and flags the graves of those the fell in service to their country.

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We need to remember with sincere respect those who paid the price for our freedoms; we need to keep in sacred remembrance those who died serving their country. We need to never let them be forgotten. We need to not let the original meaning and spirit of Memorial Day fade from our consciousness.

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On Memorial Day we need to stop and pay with sincere conviction our respects for those who died protecting and preserving the freedoms we enjoy, for we owe those honored dead more than we can ever repay.

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We need to teach our children the day's meaning. Show others by our actions that we will not forget. We don't have to believe in war to honor our family, friends and neighbors who died in service to their country.

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Happy Memorial Day!