Stuffing Priscilla

BWAHAHAAAAAAAAAA!

I haven't watched "Trading Spaces" in over a year, but OMG tonight's episode had me on the floor! I love whoever at TLC came up with the idea to trick Doug and Hildi - never were there two individuals more deserving of a prank than they.

In order to understand the title, you'll have to watch the show. Here's a quick preview for you.

[mwah!] to the Trading Spaces crew. You gave me the best belly laugh I've had in ages. Thanks. =D

Party animal

The party was a success! Both honorees were completely surprised, which was great because gimpy sis and I had gone through a lot to ensure that certain information did not reach certain people. My police-sister loved the donut "cake," which was decorated on the fly with two tubes of icing that I didn't realize were tip-less (in other words, the donuts had gloppy frosting spilling down the sides instead of the pretty little florets I wanted to do). It was a yummy success anyway, and I'll ask sis to send me the picture she took so I can post it.

The other cake (for sdad's S.O.) was a delicious red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. This cake may well have been the most delicious cake I've ever had. Props to the Kroger bakery.

We spent the day visiting with the family, and the kids spent a few hours in the pool. They had a great time, and I'm so glad they got to go because this may very well be their last dip until next summer - since school started, our neighborhood pool is closed more than it is open. Phooey.

Well, I'm exhausted and will be heading to bed soon. I was up very late last night helping sis because she was having a rough time with some surgery issues. I feel for her. She was much better today, so hopefully she's back on track to a full recovery.

Completely unrelated, yet worth noting: Kroger had vine-ripened tomatoes this week, which smelled so fresh I felt like I'd just picked them myself. I wouldn't recommend putting them on cake, though. :)

Stressed

Must be a recurring theme around these parts. Seems like everyone's feeling it right now. I guess it's because the lazy days of summer are behind us.

I've got a gajizillion things to do today in preparation for a double-whammy surprise party tomorrow. (How do I get myself into these things? Oh yeah, it's because I love my family; all of them, darn it.) Anyway, we're having a surprise "congratulations" party for my sister for successfully graduating from the police academy, plus a surprise "happy birthday" party for my s-dad's significant other. Best of all, they're simultaneous parties! Fun! I'm freakin' nuts!

So ... today I am taking other sis to physical therapy at 10:30, then taking her home and making sure she's comfy and fed, then straightening up her house because tomorrow's parties are at her house cuz she has a pool. Then I have to come home, meet two school buses - both of which had BETTER have all my kids on them! I'm going to be counting heads, so look out, bus driver people! - and get the kids snack'ed and homework'ed. Then I have to pack because I'm going back to sis's house to spend the night and decorate the house for tomorrow.

Sometime today I also need to go to the college bookstore and buy my government and accounting textbooks. And I have to get a birthday cake, and some donuts (police-sis's "cake" will be made of donuts. Get it? I crack myself up!) And I want to run by the dollar store and get some little trinkety handcuffs and other such police decor.

But first, I have to get K on the bus, which comes in 7 minutes.

Do you think I have time for a nap?

Just had to share

I love this picture. P attended an etiquette class this summer, and this was taken on her graduation day. She loves dressing up, so she was totally in her element.

Dang!

Well, we're not going to Italy. Hubby thinks it would be better to spend Thanksgiving here with the children, so here we shall stay. I am terribly disappointed. I love my kids with all my heart, and I would miss them like crazy, but at the same time I hate that we're passing up a pretty good opportunity. [pout] [stamp] [grumble] [throw something] [I didn't really throw anything] [but I wanted to]

Hubby already knows I'm blue about this decision, so all my rantings are just for you guys. Aren't you lucky? Whee!

Onward ...

I spent today with my sis (ACL-surgery sis, that is). I took her to physical therapy, which is apparently some kind of medieval torture chamber wherein they stretch you out to ungodly shapes and then beat you down with insults like "wimp." Sis thinks the PT guy had a former career in a touchy-feely field, like drill sergeant or junior high coach.

Speaking of the family gimps (that's our loving term for my limp-y sis), hubby's grandmother is now out of the hospital but is in convalescent care. She does seem to be improving, which is wonderful news. Thanks to all who put her on their prayer lists and in their thoughts. You guys rock!

This afternoon, all kidlets made it home and accounted for with no major problems. Props to the bus! Keep up the good dropping off! But of course there is a school supply "need" - R has to take tweezers to class tomorrow. He said they're going to dissect "something." Er, okay...

I don't even want to know. (I betcha Italy knows, though.)

Home again, home again

The kids, that is. I had to wait outside so that the new driver on R & P's bus would stop, but K made it home just fine.

I'm sick to death of the bus problems. But darn it, the buses are there for a reason. I shouldn't have to drive the kids to school every day just because the drivers for this district are idjits. Plus, no one wants to see me in my robe and curlers at 7:00 a.m., that's for sure.

Hubby is having a terrible day at work. His boss is a numbnuts, and she is making his life (thus, our lives) miserable. Thanks for nothing, beyotch. Here's a novel idea: try a little more ... oh, I don't know ... communicating, could you?

I spent the day taking care of my sister (remember, the one who had ACL surgery?) and helping her out around the house. She always feels very guilty when people help her, but what she doesn't realize is that we're glad to do it! So sis, please, stop feeling guilty and worrying about any of us doing too much. Trust me, we won't do too much. We're much too lazy for that, ya know.

Guess I'd better get dinner started. Tonight will be a mishmash of spaghetti squash, ricotta, parmesan, ground beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and pickles. Okay, maybe no pickles. That would be gross.

Revenge of the bus

Today K's bus comes by at 4:10. I am stoked because this means all my little chicks are back in the nest early. Only - they're not. The bus stops and one person gets off. And it ain't K.

So I turn into Flo Jo and take off running around the block, trying to flag the bus driver down. Naturally, he does not see me. So I race back home, grab the car keys, and drive like a madwoman toward the school, all the while hoping that I'll either catch up to the bus or find that K just happened to miss it and was waiting patiently for me in front of the school (yeah, right).

Meanwhile, I'm calling 411 and trying to get the number to the school so that they can tell me if my baby is sitting there crying and wanting his mommy. In all my panicking, I give the nice lady at 411 the name of the wrong school. Hello! We've moved! K no longer goes to WMS, idiot. That only took me two tries (and $2.50) to figure out.

Sooooo ... I call home while pulling into the parking lot of the school. I am met with the answering machine and continue to babble into it "helloooooo, it's moommmmm, pick up the phoooone, I'm going to keep talking until you dooooo..." until finally R picks up. He says, "Sorry I didn't answer sooner, mom. I was unlocking the front door for K."

Mixed feelings of anger and relief wash over me. I ask to talk to K, who comes to the phone in tears because he missed his stop and had to walk three blocks to get home, and now thinks I'm mad at him (okay, I was, a little). Now, a little walking won't kill anyone, but the bus driver annoys me - he told K "this is my last stop; you have to get off. Your street is that way," and jerks his finger backwards. Then he put.my.child.off.the.bus.

The more I think about it, the madder I get. I seriously doubt that tossing a kid off the bus is protocol. K is new to the area. He wasn't sure where he was, and could easily have gotten lost. OMG, we're so lucky he got home in one piece.

I'll be calling to talk to the bus driver's boss tomorrow. Lord, please don't let me get the evil transportation lady ...

For hubby...

Seriously, sign up with Blogger and leave me a comment. I'm not feeling the love yet.

Tapabily! :)

School supplies and Europe

Wassup? (How's that for an intro?)

Yesterday, K and I went shopping to get him a new binder for school. (Again with the school supplies!) He asked for a larger one "like Jonathan's" (whoever that is). We found a cool binder at Office Depot, but naturally it was pricey ($15 is pricey, is it not?). The frugalite in me was screaming with every fiber of her being, but I shushed her, sucked it up, and bought the darn binder. I figure it will be good for K to have at school because it has an outside pouch wherein he can put extra class folders, thus rectifying his have-to-go-to-the-locker-between-every-class issue.

Don't worry, I calmed my inner frugalite with some clearance-rack goodies. She's okay now.

Before we went to Office Depot, we went to Supercuts to get K a much-needed trim. The kid has fabulous thick hair, but it grows too fast. He's Sasquatch, y'all. Well, at least on his head.

Anyway, as we were walking into Supercuts, K asked if I'd locked the car. I said yes, and he said oh, I didn't hear the "beep." I told him I'd just pressed the door lock when we got out of the car. What I failed to mention (or realize) was that it would have been hard for me to "beep" the car because, well, the keys were in the car.

Luckily, we don't live far from the stores we were visiting, so I called home and told hubby to come save us. Five minutes later, my knight in shining Saturn drove up and unlocked the car. I'm sure he was thinking what a dork I was ... and this time, he wouldn't have been wrong.

Oh, I do have a bit of potentially exciting news: Hubby and I have an opportunity to go to Italy this fall! Hubs' sis and her hubs (confused yet? ha!) are going, and they invited us to come along. It's a "pay your own way and take your own flight but hey we can all stay at the same hotel but not on all the same nights and hey you look fabulous, have you lost weight" kind of deal. Or something like that. Anyway, hubby and I are both very excited (thanks for the offer, A & C!) and hope we get to go on the trip.

Now I have to get a passport, which costs $97, I think. That's peanuts compared to the rest of the trip, but it's something I gotta do now. I just hope the person in my passport pic doesn't look like the chick in my driver's license picture. Yikes.

Today I'm back in laundry mode - a necessity, since there are not one but THREE mountains of laundry waiting for me. Naturally, here I sit at the computer. Hey, don't judge me - you're here, too.

Anyway, I guess I'd better get back to it. Ah, the exciting life of a suburbanite.

So tired

I even took a nap today, and still I'm tired.

This morning I watched K mow the front yard for the very first time. I was so proud. He was so sweaty. I had to redo a couple of small passes, but overall, he did a great job.

Tomorrow he tackles the backyard.

Hubby and I bought a new ceiling fan for the guest room today. That room never did have a fan, which I don't understand - we live in Texas, which means that a fan is mandatory equipment for every single bedroom. I hope the FBI doesn't catch on that the previous owners of this house had a room without one.

(yawn) Have I mentioned that I'm tired?

Nothing exciting happened today. Oh, except that I was *thisclose* to getting a Dyson. I even took it off the shelf and pushed it around Lowes. I would have been willing to vacuum the store, but they wouldn't let me plug it in, the meanies.

Ended up going home without it (pout), but I think hubby is still a little gunshy of the price tag. I do have a 10% off coupon, but maybe that just wasn't enough. Hey, maybe you guys can help - If you can do better than 10% off at Home Depot, Lowes, Target, or even Linens and Things, please point me in the right direction. Bed Bath & Beyond sucks, by the way, because in my 20% off coupon for them, it says in the fine print that Dysons aren't included. Phooey.

Well, I'm heading to bed now. I reckon I'll have Dyson dreams tonight. ;)

Crabby

Today's rant will cover school supplies and office beyotches. If these topics do not interest you, feel free to start up a FreeCell game. Also, I am crabby, which will either make this post really interesting or really jumpy-all-over-the-placey.

Okay, a few weeks ago, I paid a bunch of money for prepackaged school supplies for my 7th grader. At the time, I thought it was great - we'd just moved to the area and I was uncertain if this district was particular about brand names and such. (My niece's school requires Crayola crayons, Mead folders, Expo markers, etc. *NO* off-brand products or they'll tie you up and give you 30 lashes with a wet noodle or something.). I figured the school would have everything exactly as they wanted it right in that nice little package. Okay, it wasn't exactly little - hubby could have used it for bench pressing - but you get the drift.

So why is it that every day K comes home with a new list? Nearly every teacher has told the kids to get a new three-ring binder and a Duo-Tang folder and a spiral notebook for each class. And that's at the very least. One also required the kids bring in magazines "that they can cut from." Now, I have three subscriptions, so this last one was not a big problem for me (although admittedly I'll miss my Southern Living issue from March 2001; I am a big SL-saving nut) but I know people without any subscriptions, so are they going to have to go out and buy three magazines for this class? Or do they face the wet noodle?

Ridiculous. How are the kids supposed to fit all this extra stuff into their puny lockers, anyway?

Speaking of lockers: Today was the kicker in "supplies from hell" week. K brought home the entire contents of his locker, including the lock, because he was told that if he had not purchased a combination lock from the school, the school would cut his lock off. Now, I can understand the school needing all the combinations, I suppose, but why couldn't we have just given the combination to the office?

Background: When we first registered K for junior high, I asked about the locks. The counselor specifically told me that purchasing a lock from the office was optional. When I called today to find out what the deal was, and to see if K could just bring his combination to the office, I was told in no uncertain terms that bringing your own lock is NOT OKAY! The woman was yelling at me, seriously. I had to hold the phone away from my hear just to understand her.

Does every school have a bitch in the front office? Homeschooling is sounding better and better every day.

And that is all.

No catchy title comes to mind

Pez tagged me to do a little blurbette about my neighborhood (only she put a cute little "u" in "neighbourhood" - I love that), so that is how I shall start my blog today.

When did you move to the neighbourhood?

We moved into this house on July 1st of this year. Previously, we lived in a little 'burb of Austin, Texas, where nothing ever happened, but if it did, all four of the town's cops showed up to check it out.

What is your favourite part of the neighbourhood?

Like Pez, I love my house! It's far and away the nicest place I've ever lived - or ever dreamed of living. There are other nice parts of the subdivision, but my hands-down fave is this very house. Of course, the family that dwells within these four walls plays a big part in my love of the place.

What is your favourite place to visit around these parts?

That's a tough one, as Houston has SO many options. I used to really enjoy going downtown and having dinner at the spinning restaurant atop the Hyatt Regency (not sure if the restaurant is still there). In my little neck of the woods, my favorite place to hang out is Old Town Spring.

Where would you suggest someone new to your region should visit?

NASA's Johnson Space Center, which is located about an hour from where I live, is definitely a do-not-miss. Reliant Stadium and Minute Maid Park are also really cool to visit (confession: I've been to Reliant, but only during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Never been to MMP, but have heard it's freakin' awesome!) Anyway, I think that taking in a football or baseball game in a town I'm visiting is always a fun experience.

In other news ...

R & P's school bus got home 80 minutes late yesterday. I was beside myself with worry. I called transportation twice, but was given the "oh, everything's late, don't concern yourself" spiel until I gritted my teeth and said, "Look, my children are out there somewhere, and I'm scared to DEATH! I need to know something!" That did the trick - transportation lady (probably not the previously-mentioned one) immediately found their bus and told me what was going on. (For the record, they were short on drivers and my kids' route had to wait at school until another elementary route was done and the bus returned to the school before they got to load. The children sat in the gym for over an hour. NO parents were informed. Grrrr...)

Today, R & P were dropped off - at our front door, no less - 17 minutes after school let out. I think that's a new record.

K did not have a great day at school yesterday (darn, I was hoping his happy-streak would last more than a day). He was assigned all his textbooks, and they are HEAVY. These kids have tiny little lockers, so there's no way all those books will fit. And - they're not allowed to take their backpacks to any class. So that leaves 1100 kids toting around heavy books all day long. I mean, not that it will kill the kids or anything, but I know *I* wouldn't enjoy carting around 20 pounds of books between every class. Although it would tone up my arms quite nicely...

Sorry, I got off topic there. I have no solutions for K, short of making friends with a giant-bicep'ed dude (or chick; hey, I'm not picky) who will cart his books to class for him. If you have a better idea, I'd love to hear it. Just click on "Comments" and post away!

Today was filled with the excitement of laundry. I am so very bored. I can't even find any fun websites to surf. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to click on that "Comments" thingy.

I keep forgetting to mention that I'm low-carbing again. I figure if I mention it here, you guys can keep me honest. And no, I will not put a webcam on my fridge (not that that's a bad idea, mind you); you'll just have to trust me. Anyway, today is Day Three of my diet, and I've been doing pretty well. Except for the following: Night before last, I had about a quarter-cup of dump cake, and last night I had six pieces of onion from Chili's Awesome Blossom (sinful, that).

In preparation for this diet, the other day I threw away half a box of Oreo cookies and a package of yummmmmmmmy yogurt pretzels. There are currently two very-tempting fortune cookies sitting on the counter, but those (and the tortilla chips in my pantry) are my "tests." If I can withstand the call of their delectable goodness, I can do anything!

I've decided to name our house "As The Grass Grows." The lawn is long enough to warrant a letter from The Association (buh bum BUM!!!). I hate that. I did try to mow this morning, but the humidity was so high that I felt faint just getting the mower started and gave up. Then it rained here again this afternoon, so there ya go.

I am the queen of excuses, can you tell?

Guess I'd better get back to the hill of laundry. Hey, this morning it was a mountain, so I guess I'm making progress. Ah, what lowly heights I aspire to these days...

Have a good evening, everyone. And remember, you're never too old to start something new. Well, yes, you could be too old. But that takes all the fun out of that saying.

Wednesday Wednesday

First of all, I want to give a shout out to my uber-cool sister who is graduating from the police academy tonight. She has spent four hours a night, five nights a week, in Academy classes since January. And that doesn't even take into consideration her full-time day job! She so rocks.

The fruits of her efforts will be acknowledged tonight at a graduation ceremony at U of H, and I am so proud of her. Way to go, Tnk!

Second, I wanted to tell my other sister (they're twins, by the way) that I hope she gets well soon. Her ACL surgery really knocked her for a loop, and she's pretty much still bedridden. Side note: this sister also rocks because she is an EMT. She rides ambulances and saves lives - for free! Props to you, too, sis. Get well soon!

Hmmm ... I'm starting to think I should go to firefighter school just to complete the circle - police, ambulance, fire. Well, since that probably won't work out, we'll have to do police, ambulance, accountant.

Suddenly, I feel insignificant.

Anyhooooooo ... today I spent the morning shopping. I bought a graduation gift for my sis, plus a few clothes for me. I am in desperate need of new casual clothes, since I lead a casual life. (Isn't that a Sheila E song?) I went to a cool store called Fancy Pants ("Social Blunders" people will appreciate that, lol) and bought some really nice black capri pants for $12. Normal price was $50. Cheap! Wait, that was yesterday's post...

Kids got off to school just fine this morning. I hope R has a better day - yesterday was apparently rough for him. I might have to have a chat with his beyotchy (is that a word?) teacher. She has not impressed me at all so far. R started reading at 3, is in the gifted program, and won the school spelling bee last year (read: he's intelligent). But his teacher is doing her best to hold him back, and I do NOT appreciate that at all.

(heavy sigh) Okay, who's hiding my margarita?

P had a pretty good day yesterday, or so she said. She made a new friend on the bus, which is good because the kids have no neighborhood friends here yet. Well, now there's one, I suppose.

K had a GREAT day at school. I was (and am) over the moon about that! He's my normally painfully-shy 7th grader, but he took to his new school like a pro. I am so proud of him. Way to go, kiddo!

This morning was less stressful than yesterday; for one thing, no moving truck appeared to block my driveway, and for another, K actually caught the bus. Hubby left for work before K went to school, so I had the house all to myself as soon as the bus came. It was too quiet, so I used that as an excuse to go shopping. (Yeah, that's the reason. Some of my other shopping excuses include "I was bored" or "I was awake.") In any event, I won't be making a habit of it, so don't worry, hubby.

Well, I'd better get this place straightened up a bit. My MIL is coming over to watch the kids while I go to sis's graduation, and I'd like the place to look really clean. Oh, who am I kidding, there's not time for all that. I guess I'll settle for "neatened up."

Oh, and please keep hubby's 94-year-old grandmother in your thoughts and prayers. She has been admitted to the hospital and is not doing well. I hope she recovers, in part because R is extremely close to her, and frankly, I don't think his little 9-year-old heart can handle the pain of losing her. :(

Get well, GG! We love you!

School time

Today was the first day of school for the kids. They were not happy about being awakened at 6:30, especially since they had spent the summer sleeping until 8:30 or 9:00. We've been working on adjusting bedtimes over the past week, but I guess that unless you adjust the wake-up times, too, it doesn't help much. Hey, at least we didn't do the ol' mattress-flip on 'em.

Breakfast today: R - chocolate & vanilla waffles; P - pancake-wrapped sausage on a stick (around here, we call them "breakfast corndogs"); K - two of those corndog things; Hubs - oatmeal; Me - Ha! Breakfast?!? I'm too busy taking care of the rest of the crew. Maybe later I'll grab a blueberry or something.

After breakfast this morning, the younger ones went out to catch the bus. It was their first ever! Boy were they excited! Boy will they be disappointed! heh. The time was 7:10, which is when the transportation lady told us they should be out there. So naturally, the bus shows up at 7:45. I know that on the first day of school things typically run behind, but wow. Hey, no problem - we like sitting out in the sun and humidity and letting the mosquitos take their best shot.

The transportation lady also told us that the junior high busses are always late during the first week of school because they do the elementary school runs first. So our oldest waits to go out - we were told he should be at the bus stop at 8:18 a.m. - and what flies by in all its orangey-yellowey glory at 8:16?

Oh joy, now we get to endure first-day-of-school traffic at the junior high.

Oh transportation lady, how I loathe thee.

I almost forgot: not only do we get to drive the kiddo to junior high, but there's even more fun to be had. The house next door, which has been for sale for months, has apparently gotten a buyer. The moving truck came today. Which driveway did it block? Yes, sports fans, you guessed right. The driver was persuaded (through pointing and hand-gesturing - no mucho habla Ingles) to move, which he did, but as soon as we left, he parked in front of our driveway again. So when we returned from school, with hubby anxious to get to work, there was more gesturing and pointing (and yes, I was tempted to toss in an "extra" gesture). This time, however, he turned the truck around and blocked NO ONE'S DRIVEWAY!

I registered for classes at the local community college today. I'm going to be taking American Government and Accounting this semester. Both are online courses, which I've done before with success, so I hope these classes are equally enjoyable. That said, however, be warned: there will, oh yes, will, be some bitching sessions here in this very blog in the next few months. I'm sure I'll have a few choice words to say about a crappy assignment or somesuch because that's the type of delightful, glass-half-empty person I am.

Thought for the day: If your significant other sounds impatient on the phone, don't keep up the mindless chatter; hang up! You don't want to hear her go to the bathroom, do you? ;) (Love ya, hubby!)

Cheap cheap

Well, hubs and I and the kiddos got back yesterday from our fun-filled weekend in Austin. We stayed at a really nice (and cheap!) hotel near the airport. Our room was actually a suite, so we had two queen beds, a queen sleeper sofa, and a kitchen. Plenty of space for us all to spread out. And it was cheap! About half the price of the one we wanted to stay at on Town Lake, but they wouldn't let us because we have five people in our family and we'd have to get two rooms and I was like, what?, three of those people are KIDS, whatever dude, I don't have $400 a night to spend on that, but they were like too bad, so sad, dude.

Stupid Austin fire code.

We got to Austin Friday night around 11:00, checked in and went to bed. Then the next morning we got up and went down to the lobby for a free hot breakfast (this hotel totally rocks; have I mentioned it's cheap?). After that, we got cleaned up and dressed and drove south to a little podunk town for a school district fundraiser thingie where our friend's band would be playing.

The band was definitely the highlight of the day. It took them awhile to get set up because they had to fit their "stage" (a tarp on the ground) amidst a grove of trees. Then the lead singer had a little trouble with his guitar wire. But once they got started, they ROCKED! I loved watching my kids singing along to the music. During the set, the lead singer called my daughter up onto the stage, and oh my goodness she was in heaven. She's now officially changed her "want to be when I grow up" plan from teacher to rock star. Ruh roh raggy...

After the concert/picnic/fundraiser thing, we went for a drive around town. We'd lived in this town until just a couple of months ago, so I guess we were reminiscing a bit. Wait, reminiscing? HAHA - we've only been gone two months! Losers!

Anyway, we went by our "old" house to see how it looked. It looked exactly the same, except that the new owners put a folding chair on the front porch, plus the cars in the driveway were different. heh That's about it. We were hoping to see some of our neighbors, but no one was outside.

After the drive down memory lane, we went over to our friends' house for dinner (our friends are married, by the way - *he*, who I'll now call "C", is in the band; *she*, who I'll now call "L", is his wife and my best girlfriend). And what a feast it was! We had awesome Korean repast - bulgogi, kimchee, rice, wasabi sauce - and were very very full when we left the table. Then C started making Cosmopolitans - and I had FOUR. Okay, I'm only about 5' tall, so that much alcohol should have made me sick.

Instead, it made me happy! Oh so happy! Everything was funny. Dog dumped out the trash? Funny! Babies crying? Hilarious! Bump my head on the way to the bathroom? BWAHAHAAAAAA!

Plus, *I* became funny! Everything I said, L laughed at. Wait, you don't think it's because she had a couple of Cosmos herself? Naaaaah.

The next day - not so funny. But totally worth it.

We got home around 4:00 yesterday. We put nearly 400 miles on the rental van. Oh, the van! It was a Nissan Quest, and it was awesome. Beautiful silver color; large interior; better gas mileage than even our little Saturn. My next van will be a Quest. Of course, I'll have to win the lottery first, but that's been my plan all along.

Spent last night vegging on the sofa and watching Rush Hour 2. I just love Jackie Chan. Chris Tucker I can live without, but the little dude can come live with me any day.

Oh, the other thing we did last night was hang new Roman shades on the French doors in our bedroom. It's about dang time we private-ized that room! Neighbors do NOT need to be seeing my boudoir. The shades look beautiful, and best of all, they cost me just $7 each. The clearance rack at Lowe's? Cheap!

So ... here it is, Monday again. Mini-vacation is over, hubby is back at the soul-sucking site he calls "the office," and my beloved van has been returned to the rental agency. Sadness prevails.

But wait - school starts tomorrow! Freedom and peace within my house! Woo-hoo! (Sorry kids, I love ya, but summer is OVER, do you hear me?) Whew, I got a little nuts there. Always happens when school starts. However, this year, like the last two, my freedom will be short-lived. I register for classes tomorrow. College is fun, but I am looking forward to graduating. At the rate I'm going, though, I just hope to finish before my 7th-grader does.

Have a great Monday, everyone! And remember - cheap is gooooooood.

TGIF

Good morning! It's morning here, at least ... I don't know what time you'll be reading this, so just in case, good afternoon, good evening, and good night, too.

I slept like a log last night. Went to bed around 11:00 and woke up to hubby's kiss at 6:50. Left to my own devices, I could have slept another two hours, but being awakened like that was not bad. Not bad at all.

Dare I bid farewell to insomnia ... ?

Today is going to be hectic. In one hour, I'm supposed to leave to rent the car for our trip, then about an hour after that the kids and I are having lunch with my mother-in-law, then when I get back home I have to finish the laundry and pack suitcases and an ice chest. Oh, and at some point I have to run to a store and get a little hostess gift for my friend we're going to visit this weekend.

So - lots to do, but as usual, here I sit at the computer. You guys have no idea how typical this is.

On another note, I am so excited to finally have a blog, plus some great, supportive friends who visit it now. (Waves to Fish, Pez, and GoddessKel - how's it going?) Sorry if I left anyone out. Leave me a comment and I'll put your name in here sometime, too. I warn you, though, you may become terribly famous if I mention you here. You might want to hire a PR person in advance, just in case the paparazzi start stalking you after your name appears in my blog.

;) <-- for anyone who might not get that I'm KIDDING! You most likely will NOT become famous. Nor will *I*, but I'm NOT BITTER. AM I? WHY AM I YELLING? OH, DARn caps lock key. You taunt me. I wish I had some Miss Doxie-esque story to tell, but unfortunately I'm not quite as clumsy as her (love ya, Leigh!). And I went to IKEA for the first time years ago, so any story I told about the store would not be nearly as exciting. Phooey. Well, I'll do my best to embarrass myself this weekend in Austin, then Monday I can share it with you guys. Just wish I was going to 6th Street - that place is always good for a laugh. Hmm, maybe I can dig up something from my sis-in-law's bachelorette party last fall ... HA! You wish!

M'kay, so I suppose I better get cracking on all this stuff I need to do. Have a terrific weekend, y'all. And remember, guns don't kill people. It's those darn bullets.

First post

Today is the first day of the rest of my life ... Good grief, what a lame-oh start to an otherwise exciting new blogging adventure. ("Lame-oh"? When did I start channeling Rachael Ray? )

Anyway, today's been a buh-ring day. After not falling asleep until nearly midnight last night, I had to get up with hubby before 7:00 a.m. I shouldn't complain; we used to get up in the unholy hours of pre-dawn. Anyway, I was so tired that I didn't want to crawl out of bed at all. Unfair, the sleeplessness is, since I was good and skipped a greatly-desired, caffeine-filled Chai tea last night. Boo, insomnia. Boo.

Actually, I've been tired ever since we moved in last month. It didn't help that I had to single-handedly pack and unpack both houses by myself (okay, hubby and FIL did do the shed and garage, in the searing Texas summer heat and humidity, for which I am eternally grateful). That said, however, I have been unpacked for two weeks now, so I should be sleeping better. Y'all let me know when that's going to happen, 'k?

Niece spent the night last night because her mom (my sis) is having ACL surgery. I feel for sis, but in a way it's amusing because she hurt herself on a bouncy moonwalk-type thingy (that is the official term, by the way. Yes, it is. Is too!). She's never going to live that down! HAHA! But for now I'm being nice until she's fully recovered because I know she's in pain. Poor little sis - must suck to have an evil sibling like me.

What else is up ... hmmm ... geez, what an exciting life I lead. Well, tomorrow we're heading out of town to visit friends and watch a cool band play (check 'em out - www.downforceband.com - one of the band members is our friend). We are looking forward to the trip - we've been missing these friends since the big move. However, we now live back in our hometown; theoretically our friends and family here would fill the gap. Go figure.

Later days, better Lays. Chips, y'all. Oh, get your minds out of the gutter.

By request

Update on summer plans. Some names have been changed to protect the innocent.

May 17 - listed our house

May 31 - lowered the price

June 6 - moved in with in-laws in new town (during the week, anyway - weekends were spent in old town keeping an eye on the house)

June 8 - hubs started his new job; officially hates life now

June 15 - got contract on house; buyers wanted to move in on June 30!

Much wailing and gnashing of teeth later, I finally found a moving company that could move us on the 29th. They wouldn't do any packing, though - that was my job. (Uh, never, ever, again. What was I thinking?)

June 17 - House hunting in new town begins in earnest. Realtor and I look at a dozen houses in one morning. Two look promising, so we agree to bring hubs (the life-hater, remember?) back that night to see them.

Evening of 17th - Go to first house. What was I thinking? It had a pool. That was the only plus. Rest of house was . . . tired. Yeah, that's a nice way to put it. Who the heck carpets every bathroom all the way up the side of the tub and around the toilet? Gross. Anyway, I think seeing the nice cool pool during the hot summer day blinded me to the rest of the place. lol

Same evening - Go to second house. This one is a keeper. It's beautiful, large, and priced $40k below market because the sellers were retiring and desperately wanted to get back to California. The house had been on the market for months at a much higher price, and their realtor finally told them that if they were anxious to move, they'd have to really compete with other houses in the area. So the price dropped into our range, and we looked and fell in love. No time to write a contract that night because we had to go back to old town to keep packing...

June 19th - After a LONG, HOT, HUMID, HOT, ICKY, HUMID, DEAR-GOD-THE-INHUMANITY! HUMID weekend of packing up most of our house, we drove back and met realtor at in-law's house, where we wrote up a contract.

June 20th - Contract accepted! Wahoo! Now the real fun begins - inspections, appraisals, etc. Ugh.

Meanwhile . . .

Morning of June 28 - double-check next day's schedule with movers, who now tell me they can't do it! They have a problem with picking up my stuff on the 29th and delivering it on the 1st. After all this time, I was like WHAT THE %$#%*?!? I swear I aged 500 years that day....

Late afternoon of same day - talk to different person at moving company, who assures me that they'll be there and get us moved. I nearly fainted with relief. Well, from relief and humidity.

June 29th - Movers spent all day at house packing up two trucks full of . . . crap. Well, there was some furniture and some memorabilia, but I swear we have a bunch of crap. I told them they could just keep a few things - grandpa's old recliner, for example - but they just laughed at me.

June 30, 10:00 a.m. - Signed papers giving up ownership of our house. DH was very sad to leave old town. I was like, Later! (Heh, not really.)

July 1, 8:00 a.m. - Signed papers buying new house. Happy dance.

Since then, we've dealt with a few things around the new place, and I am knee-deep in boxes still to be unpacked. (Crap, crap and more crap, I'm sure.) But that's an improvement from the shoulder-deepness of a week ago. heh

The best part is that we were able to pay off our vehicle with proceeds from the other house, even after putting a substantial down payment on this house. We're completely debt-free, aside from the mortgage, which is a nice way to be.

And there you have my eventful, hot, and humid summer. Bring on the fall!