An Accomplishment!

I must share an exciting accomplishment I had today. I jogged for *two miles* straight on the treadmill! Woo-Hoo!!

School

During lunch, my friend and I drove over to our school. I had some things in my trunk I needed to unload, and we had a little extra time. I did not have my camera, so you will have to imagine it with me....freshly waxed floors, nice, crisp, new bulletin boards going up, people unpacking, getting ready, calling out hello's to friends and co-workers you haven't seen in two months, the smell of old elementary school.....that was it! It's such a great feeling, and I always breathe in the smells deeply and realize, "Yes, this is what I am and where I am supposed to be." I'm excited!!

Please remind me around February to re-read this post! :)

New Toys!

We got new toys this weekend. I've been wanting a bike so we headed to Academy and I got a Schwinn. Isn't that cool? On base we have to wear helmets and reflective vest or some such, so I look like a complete dork, we have the coolest nature trail!! I've been two days in a row now, and one of these days I might try to take my camera. A bunny ran right in front of me this evening, and I think I swallowed a bug! A little one, good protein, ya know.





My son has been doing extra chores all summer long and has been saving his money for an electric guitar. Here's the amp. It's cool and has some built in effects. He's been taking lessons for about 3 months now and while he doesn't know any complete songs (save for Jingle Bells, etc) it does my heavy metal heart proud to hear strains of Fade to Black, Iron Man, Freeebird, and Enter Sandman!


Hubby didn't get anything yet, but we did turn his camera in to get all the Desert dust out of it. Wonder if we could sell it?? For Sale: Dust from the desert of Iraq....10 cents for a tiny jar....didn't they used to do that with something? Moon dust, maybe!? I digress, what's new?


Here's the guitar! Isn't that sweet!?
It sounds great. It was a little more than he had, so he'll be working a couple more weeks. He doesn't mind working, he really likes to have the money.


School is upon us fast! I have a three-day workshop this week and a three-day workshop next week then work/professional development days and before you know the bright happy faces will be walking in the door! MMmmm....I can smell the fresh school supplies!

Lunch

I had lunch with a sweet friend yesterday.
As I was driving to her house, I kept seeing larger and larger houses, which was making me more and more uncomfortable. You see, sometimes going to places like this make me so stressed and freaked that I actually feel like I'm going to burst into tears.
I told her when I got there that we couldn't be friends anymore! This is not her house, but it's a couple of blocks away.
I used to be really self-confident that I could handle myself in all situations. But sometimes now in my old-age, I fear something rude or inappropriate is going to just fly out of my mouth.
It's been know to happen, trust me! LOL





This is Penny. She's a Corgi. Her little legs are so short that you can't tell if she's standing or laying down in this grass....



I'll leave you hanging!








This little guy's name is Chesterton Beeswax (Chester the Pester).
It's a great story. My sweet friend is rarely able to surprise her husband. So, she told many lies and behind his back taught summer school with me. She told her husband we were working out together....yes, she drew me in to the lie! Secretly, she was planning to buy this dog. Her husband has always wanted a French Bulldog, and now he has one. She pulled it off, he was completely unaware and very surprised!


On another note....we went to an engagement party last night that turned out to be the wedding!! How fun and crazy is that!?

Etsy Shop!

Through peer pressure (thanks to One Scrappy Gal), I have decided to open an Etsy Shop!
I have a few things in the works to put in there, so check back. Hopefully I will have some more things listed in a week or so. Right now, though, I offer you this pillow. I just started piecing leftover scraps of my blues and browns that you might see again. Enjoy!
Oh, and the aprons are Scrappy Gal's so no buying those, sorry! If you would like one, just let me know.

Wordless Wednesday

Another little plant that could, but I don't think it's going to make it.

Swap Stuff

Swap stuff!! Gotta love it....My favorite author and I haven't even read this one!!

And it's autographed...how awesome is that!?

And some slippers to put my feet up and read.

Thanks, Elizabeth!!

B B Q

We had a fun-filled weekend of company. We also saw Dark Knight, which was very good if you like that sort of thing.

Sunday night was the Pay-Per-View, so we had some friends over.

Here's my son eating a green olive and crouton sandwich. lol
He's a card!












Something we picked up in Georgia when you have a BBQ~everyone brings the meat they want to have grilled. It works out great, and it gives me good ideas....like you see those kebabs? mmMMMmmm...may have to try that one some time!


Hope your weekend was excellent!

Before and After

Plants

Here's the newest addition to my hangy-down thingamaboppers that decorate our front porch. Hubby bought it for me, isn't he cute?











This is a plant I remember from my childhood at my grandmother's house. It gets a beautiful purple color (see next picture) if it has more room to grow. I swiped a piece of this from my mother-in-law's house when we first moved here. Last year, a piece broke off while we were mowing and I just left it where it fell.
It took over the yard (again, see picture below)! It died off during the winter, and I thought that was toast....nope...it's unstoppable. Like Batman...can't wait...we're going to see it this weekend! But I digress.....






Here's the little piece that could.....


Purple (Heart) Jew



Ya don't even have to water it much.

Summer

Happy Wednesday! I know you were probably expecting a Wordless Wednesday since I seem to not have many words to say lately...
Summer is almost over. School is starting earlier and earlier, so it is almost over for me. Teachers go back Aug. 5th. I'm excited and ready, but I don't ever seem to get a lot done during the summer. I always have great intentions. This summer I really wanted to get alot of quilting done, workout twice a day and eat right so I could get back in to some of my clothes, wander around some shops and stores I've seen that I've never been in, maybe catch up on some scrapbooking, get my cello out and re-learn that.

But, what happens is that my brain turns to Jell-O. So in actuality I've watched a lot of movies, Law and Order, I have worked out in the form of kickboxing, but haven't lost any weight, probably because we really like to go out to eat, I've quilted a little but haven't completed anything....I worked on my dad's scrapbook (Happy Birthday Daddy!!~The big 7-0), haven't gone to any shops unless I had to, worked summer school, and the cello remains in the closet.
I can't even seem to blog as regularly as I did during the year....it's because I have little stimulation. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!!

So, there ya have it. The picture has nothing to do with it, other than it's from a fun night we had out while the kid was at camp.

Black Eye

My son came home from camp with some great stories about skeet shooting, horseback riding, paintballing, and a black eye!

True to the boy he is, they were horsing around and he was jumping from one bunk to the other and landed face first.

I think he's OK. When they called to tell us Hubby said, "Well, just punch him in the other eye so he'll match!"




I went to the eye doctor today and had my eyes dilated for the first time since I was a kid. It was weird and I couldn't see close up for awhile, which was even weirder.

Camp and Bunco

My son is going to camp today. He went to this camp last year and he loves it! It has the longest zip line in North America, which from the top you can see Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. I'm sure the state line are drawn so you can differentiate. Well, that's what I thought when I was a kid....there were actually lines like there are on the maps!

There is also paintball, skeet shooting, horseback riding, and I'm sure lots of camp mischief!
He plans to get the "messy hair" award and when he gets home he will be getting it cut, so stay tuned for a little bit shorter hair.

He doesn't look too thrilled in this picture. He's actually excited, but the back back (as my kids at school say) is really heavy!






When I received this in the mail yesterday, it brought tears to my eyes.
When we lived in Georgia, our church group had Bunco once a month. It got nasty people....blood was known to be drawn. We had a lot of fun. We rotated houses, and everyone brought food, had presents for the winners and losers.
Well, I was teasing my friend a few weeks ago about wanting to come, so she sent us an invitation! I actually looked in to plane tickets, but it's too expensive. We thought it would be really great to just show up, but oh well! Thanks, anyway, Lisa! It's the thought that counts. You guys have fun!!

Wordless Wednesday

More fun...

My sister and I went to get Bar-be-que for lunch one day. Real *Texas* bar-be-que.....chopped BEEF, none of this pulled pork or mustard sauce or coleslaw on the top.
So, while we're there, I asked her how their creamed corn was. She said it's a lot of cream and a little bit of corn. I decided to try it anyway and got a small order. So she decided to give it a try....wow, ya think she got enough!? LOL Don't ask me about the snowman plate, I don't know.








My dad will be 70 this year. When my mom turned 60 a few years ago, we made her a scrapbook. I think she really liked it and I had a lot of fun doing it. We are making one for my dad this year and worked on it during the week. This picture reminds me why I don't scrapbook that often. I'm a little LD in that I like to have all my stuff out and spread everywhere.












I went on a little quilt shop hop of my own on the way down. I found a bunch of shops in the towns I would be passing through with the intention of stopping at some. I left the list at home. Yeah, I'm smart like that. I remembered where this one was in Gainesville and stopped.








I also went to three in Austin and one in San Antonio. One of the ones in Austin was pretty good, the others weren't that great, and the one in San Antonio was lame other than she was having a fat quarter sale. But none compared to this quaint place in it's old house with glass doorknobs. There is fabric in every corner, and the back room is the 50% off room. She even had little pieces for 50 cents. It was great. I'm glad I found it.












And finally, here is my son on the trip down. One sock.

I'm back!!

We had a great time in Austin. We took upside down pictures, because of course, I can't take a picture of one of them without taking one of the other!

He had an ongoing love affair with gum the whole weekend.













This is little guy. He was initially hiding behind this blanket from me, but he warmed up to me finally and my new name is "that." Yep, that's what he called me. I don't know...














We rode bikes, played Diego's 1-2-3 game, did puzzles, and read book after book. I love that they love to read books, but I was taken back to a story I remember hearing about as a child. My favorite book was Go Dogs, Go! by Dr. Seuss. I wanted it read so often that my GrandMargaret tried to skip pages, but I would have none of that. I was on to her!!















We also went to a Fourth of July picnic at my brother-in-law's boss's house. She had a great backyard and lots of yummy snacks. Especially good was the Sopapilla Cheesecake, which I will post the recipe to when I make it....
Little guy here wasn't too keen on being in the water, but he looked so cute in his life jacket. I told my sister he must really not be part of our family since he doesn't like his shoes to be taken off. WHAT!?
He walked around and around and around the pool throwing in anything that was close. He was being the pool patrol.










We also a few sparklers. A friend of my sister and brother-in-law's brought them over. She said, "I have sparklers!" My older nephew proceeded to get out some paper and was ready to draw! We had to explain and show him what they were.
I got some cool shots. This is my sister and my older nephew doing their thing!

Caution: Adorable Nephews Ahead & Swap Stuff!

Swap stuff from Leigh! Too fun! A huge beach towel (too bad we don't live near the beach anymore, I'll just have to use it at the pool), a water bottle, citronella candles, two spatulas, and nice, big apron, and.......*green apple* Mentos! Didn't even know there was such a thing, but I can tell you, they are the bomb!!

Thanks Leigh! You were a fun swap partner!

I will be leaving in the morning for Austin to see my adorable nephews, so be prepared for more cute picts! Maybe the younger one will warm up to me this time! See ya on the flip side! Have a great week.