Pain in the Back

I don't know who in Hamilton decided it would be a good idea to offer teachers and students the entire week of Thanksgiving off...BUT I'm glad they did! I am loving this!!!! I even decided to get back to my blog...I  think the last time I blogged was in April!
Loving this time off but I'm hating the pain in my back! About two weeks ago, I bent and reached for an item and something pulled in my back...left side just above my hip. Anyway...it is feeling better, but it is really getting in my way of what I want to do! Dillan is coming for Thanksgiving dinner and I'm ready to start baking but I just don't feel like it. Ugg! However, I'll allow myself to have this pity party for my hurt back until noon today and then I'll get busy! These are the things I have planned for the week.

1. Clean the house today!
2. Start taking plants to the "makeshift" greenhouse.
3. Get hair cut and colored tomorrow!
4. Bake for Thanksgiving Day.
5. Attempt to make dressing on Thursday morn.
6. Enjoy the aromas of baking.
7. Hope my hip/back isn't bugging me!
8. Watch TV.
9. Shop
10. Play with grandkids!

I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving! Enjoy your time with friends and family! Eat, Laugh, and Shop!....That's my Thanksgiving motto!

STAAR Nightmare

For all of you non-educators or "non-parents" (is that even a word???) or non-Texans....you may not realize that next week IS the week of the STAAR test. This is a test that the "experts" of education have created. Ha! Hahahahahahaha! Oh, well....these people seem to think that by testing children on a rigorous test that it will prove how much they have learned or how smart they are. Now let me remind you that as teachers, we have NO STINKING IDEA what is on this test! Honestly! And we won't. I spent 30 minutes last week watching a video instructing me on the "do's and don'ts" of the STAAR test. We have been give strict instruction not to look at the test, read the test, or if by chance a child asks us to read a word on the math portion (which is allowed)...that we delete that word from our memory forever and NEVER mention the "word" as long as we live. We sign an oath, where we swear we will NOT disclose any of the "secret" information! An oath!!!!!!! HONESTLY! Our fear of going to the new STAAR prison (last year it was TAKS prison) increases greatly this time of year! It causes a great deal of stress in teachers, students and parents! What if they don't pass????
I know of all the amazing things I've taught my 3rd graders this year! We have studied the Solar System where in class each child made their own model of the Solar System as well as a book they created by researching information about the Solar System on the Internet. We have studied rocks and volcanoes and plants and heredity. We are getting ready to study biomes and ecosystems and food chains. My 3rd graders know about the continents and oceans! They have created maps! They know who Pierre Charles L'Enfant and Juan De Onate are! They have learned the word entrepreneur and they can tell you about at least five well known entrepreneurs. I have tested them daily on their multiplication facts...yes...the old kill and drill. MEMORIZE THOSE BABIES!!! They are learning them! I have shown them how to draw pictures to help them with the dreaded "word problem"! We have written in journals and edited. I hold them responsible for spelling words that they have had and I MAKE them spell words correctly! We have learned to be kind to each other. STOP BEING A TATTLE TALE all the time. Work out your problems! If there is a problem, the two (or more) must sit and talk about it and decide what they could have done to prevent it. I have tried to teach compassion...don't make fun of others. Be understanding when some one's parent has been put in jail. Love each other. I tell them that we are a family....I used to be like a momma to my students, but now I'm like a grandmother! None of that will be on the test....I'm sure. (Not that I know because I don't!!!)
All of this leads to the STAAR nightmare. I had one last night. In my dream, I passed all the STAAR booklets out to my students and read the instructions (word for word...it's in the book...word for word...don't stray or you'll go to STAAR prison). They began working on the the 4 hour timed test. As I "monitored" my students, I realized that they were working on the math portion of the test and NOT the reading portion! I began to panic!!! OMG! I have violated the test instructions!!!!! I ran to the hall screaming...violation #2...do not leave the students unattended while testing. I told the class to erase their answers because we were taking the wrong test....violation #3!!!! I fell to the floor in a fit of convulsions....let's just say it was sort of like an old time gospel fit...where I shook and screamed and spoke in tongues...my legs were quivering and words that normally aren't spoken at school were screamed! Our counselor finally came to my room to help me. In calming me down, we realized that the probable reason for my blunder was due to my......get this....PREGNANCY...and that I was going into labor! Oh, dear Lord.....what is worse???? STAAR Prison or a baby at my age??? My dream ends....with a baby in my arms.
Are there any dream analyzers out there??????

Kids (and Nanas) say the darndest things!

I have really enjoyed teaching this year...especially because I get to teach my grandson, Denver! The first week of school he called me "Mrs. Jordan" and that just sounded weird for my grandson to call me that, so I told him he didn't have to call me that...he could still call me Nana. He came up with "Mrs. Nana"! I loved it!
We've been studying the Solar System during science for the last month and they have loved it. Each of the three classes made a scaled model of the Solar System and we shared those with NASA during a video conference. Later we made our own models. Some made dioramas using shoe boxes and my very own "play-dough". (FYI...the play-dough wasn't nearly as easy as the directions stated! The kneading made my arms for hurt for days!!!) Others made posters of the planets. All of these were done in class. I had posters, play-dough, constuction paper, markers, pipe cleaners, beaded trim and glue scattered all over the room. It looked like a disaster area but the kids loved it and I enjoyed seeing them be creative...adding little details...the Asteroid Belt...rings around the outer planets...dwarf planets, such as Pluto, Ceres and their favorite Makemake!
As we were discussing the sun, I told my eager little listeners that the outer part of the sun was called the "corona". I asked one of my Hispanic students what "corona" meant in Spanish and she replied "crown". I repeated (in my horrible Texas drawl), "Yes...corona means crown!" Obviously, it sounded like I said "crou-on" because my adorable, smart grandson raised his hand and said, "Mrs. Nana...Do you mean if I go to Mexico and I want to color, I should ask for a corona?" Well, that took me by surprise because honestly, I was just waiting for someone in the room to announce that their parents drank Coronas! I know I must have looked somewhat puzzled...I tilted my head and looked at him and asked him to explain. He said, "You know...I need a crayon to color with! Do I say I want a corona?" OMG!!! I started laughing when I realized I had pronounced "crown" with such a Texas accent that my own grandson misunderstood me!!!! We all had a good laugh and I started trying to say "crown" the correct way!
Crown-Crayon-Corona....After the week full of projects, I think I'll take the Corona but a "crayon" and coke might be a good choice, too!!!!
Happy weekend all!

Frustration

It is beyond me that anyone can take a perfectly normal positive conversation and completely turn it around to make it negative. Long time...no blogging....but I just had to get that off my chest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shocked by the Clothesline!

I grew up in a large family...3 older brothers, 1 older sister and a younger sister. Barbara was 17 when I was born, Terry was 13, Larry 10 and Richie was 7. My family had endured lots of hardships before I came along. In fact, the week before I was born, the doctors at Warm Springs Gonzales had called my parents to come get my brother, Terry and bring him home. The news was...he would not walk again. You see, Terry had polio. He came down with it when he was only 8 years old and he had been in hospitals for five years. One day he was a healthy boy, running around the farm and the next day he was paralyzed. Terry almost died several times during his first few months with polio. It must have been a frightening time for my parents and my siblings. I can't even imagine! During this same time, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and she had one breast removed. Children were shuffled to aunts' and uncles' homes and they were without parents and a brother. Through all of this, they survived. Mother lived for another 46 years and Terry lived for about 50 more years. And I had an extremely normal childhood...with the exception of a mother with only one breast and a brother who could not walk and who slept each night in an iron lung. Lots of pranks were pulled in our household....some quite funny...some quite dangerous!
One prank was pulled on me by my brother, Richie when I was only about seven. I was a small child. At age seven, I may have weighed about 40 lbs.....I was a "shrimp". I was a whiny shrimp at that. I never ate. Most of our family meals were devoted to trying to get me to eat so that I wouldn't "blow away" in the West Texas winds! This caused me to cry and my cries prompted my brothers to recite the old saying..."Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, I'm going out to eat worms!" More tears would follow until I was in a rage! On this particular summer morning, Richie had gone out in the backyard to bring some clothes in off the clothesline for Mother. In the process, the clothesline had shocked him.....You see, Terry was an avid Ham Radio operator and his radio antenna was attached to the clothesline poles. Evidently, something had happened and his antenna was not grounded properly. So, Richie thought it would be funny for the "shrimp" to get shocked!
I ran to the backyard to fetch the clothes....I was so small that I barely even reached the clothesline. So I tiptoed and stretched to reach the clothespins, but once I did, the electricity caused me to grab the line. My other hand shot up to pull my other hand away and both hands were glued fast to the line. Electricity was flowing through all 40 pounds of my skinny little body! Richie was watching out the bedroom window....hoping to see something funny...only to see his little sister shaking and screaming! I could feel my toes digging into the soft damp ground...I knew I would soon dig to China if someone didn't save me! Richie ran from the house and jumped off the ground to tackle me. We landed on the ground....I was lifeless. I couldn't move at all. He carried me as I screamed and wailed into the house where Mother promptly lay me on her bed and began to put clean clothes on me...(including clean panties...Heaven forbid I go to the hospital without clean panties!). My fear was that I would be like Terry...confined to a wheelchair the rest of my life! However, by the time I got to the hospital, I was moving my arms and my legs.....Luckily there were no burns on my hands....just a scared little girl and a scared and very sorry big brother! Daddy quickly grounded the antenna, but it took me years to be brave enough to touch that clothesline again. It was....just a prank....and we lived through it...giving us another story to tell as we grew older! I still tend to avoid clotheslines..........

The Last Ft. Worth Stock Show

We braved the icy conditions of the roads Friday morning to venture out to the Ft. Worth Stock Show. I worried that we wouldn't make it. It began snowing about 8:30 on Thursday night. We had made taco soup and invited Jenifer, Colton and Tracey over for a hot bowl to warm us up and some buttermilk pie to fatten us up. I love my Crossfire buddies....I would have loved for all of them to have come over...we always have such a good time! Anyway, Tracey slipped on my front steps as she left and she ended up getting SIX staples in the back of her head....I felt so bad even though I (I'm ashamed to say....) LMAO when she fell! So...after the fall from the ice and snow, I was worried that we wouldn't make it to the stock show. However, Donald heated up the pick-up at 5:00 a.m. on Friday morning and we began our adventure in the ice and snow. Lauren had even sent me a message on Facebook and gave me a thumbs up on the roads (thanks!). He put it in four wheel drive and we headed up north on the icy roads! Luckily the roads had enough snow on them for some traction. We seemed to be the only ones on the road until we got to Weatherford and just like magic...there were more cars/trucks on the interstate. The snow fell on us all the way to Ft. Worth. We made it and hurried through the mud and slush and ice into the cold, smelly barns to find Dillan. He was just coming into the show ring when we got there....Those judges don't mess around...if they like your steer, they send you to the middle....if not, they send you out the door and unfortunately, Dillan was sent out the door! Donald and I browsed in the exhibit hall where I found a concho belt and some delicious dips. We also chowed down on some stew in a bread bowl, giant baked potato and a delicious, famous Ft. Worth Stock Show cinnamon roll! Kevin, Cari and Tristin had made the trip up, and they bought Tristin a cowboy hat. Dillan did NOT ask for money to buy fake cigarettes or sand art this year!!!! I guess that's one of the good things about being the parent of a senior!!!! It is a little bittersweet.....our last big show at Ft. Worth for Dillan. However...there are the grand kids and Denver will be old enough to show next year. I only thought I was through with the stock shows! I guess there will be more early morning trips....more smelly barns....more muddy boots....more cinnamon rolls....more good time and good memories!!!!

VOMIT=$8.00 tip?????

Last night was a busy evening at Crossfire Cafe....to say the least! Customers were filling the seats and I was the only server. In the midst of all the bustle and hustle, the hostess came running to me telling me that the little girl at table 32 had barfed! Well, I knew exactly who it was, and she wasn't little...she was about 10 and pudgy at that. LeAnne assured me SHE COULD NOT CLEAN IT UP, so I ran to the back to get my "safety gloves" and found some old towels and a black tub! Great...just what I needed. I put my smiley face on and went to the table to find the daddy sitting there with a big grin on his face. Vomit had covered the table. This child had spewed all over the table and all three plates! Obviously she had thrown up her entire dinner, plus her breakfast, lunch and some of her Christmas dinner as well. I began wiping the slimy goo off the table...trying not to add my own vomit to it. There were about 6 tables sitting around me, watching me as I tried to clean and make small talk to dear old dad. He informed me that he and his 4 kids all have a gagging reflex problem. (Really???? Take a barf bag with you, dude!)

Me: I have four children...and I teach school. I'm used to vomit. (NOT like this though!)

Dad: (Leaning back in his chair...sporting a smug look while chewing on a toothpick) Yea....all four of my kids have a gagging problem. One of my sons hates the dentist. All he has to do is see the dentist coming his way and he starts gagging and throwing up.

Me: (I'm sure the dentist hates your son, too!) Oh, really? Well, let me have your plate and I'll clean up underneath it. (He doesn't move....just lets me pick up his plate of vomit, along with his wife's plate and daughter's plate)

Dad: Could you bring me the check and a to go coke for my little girl?

Me: Sure.....Do you need anything else? (like a giant plastic trash bag in case her gagging reflex starts up again in the car?)

I haul the black tub of puke to the back porch....cursing under my breath! The cook staff gave me a look of dismay as I rushed toward the trash bin! I take back the bill and a to go coke. The "little girl" and mom had returned at that point. None of them said "Thanks for cleaning up Donna's puke!" They just left.......and graciously gave me an $8.00 tip. Now normally that is a great tip....but for cleaning up someone else's body functions....I DON'T THINK SO!
I began disinfecting the table....wiping it over and over....spray and wipe...get a new towel...spray and wipe....repeat, repeat, repeat!
Luckily, the restaurant began clearing out....good...hopefully no more pukers were left!

Honestly folks.......................................................$8.00???????

Oh....Happy New Year!

Mama Gaga

This is Dillan's senior year. It is really hard to believe that he will be graduating and all the nifty things he does this year will be for the last time! We had the senior pep rally last week and it was absolutely so much fun! I felt like a school girl at a slumber party while we dressed in our "Lady Gaga" attire! I was so pleased with the mothers who joined us and I loved seeing all the creations they came up with! I was proud of myself. I didn't forget the dance and I didn't cry at the end of the pep rally. It was good to see such a great group of teenagers! I'm so proud of all of them. So many of them have gone through a lot...parents divorcing...parents dieing....and I just look at them and see a group that has stuck together and have survived! It seems like yesterday they were in third grade and I was trying to teach them to multiply and use "higher level thinking skills"!!!! What a great group! I'm so glad to have been a part of their lives!

The Eagles

What a lucky gal I am! My sister's hubby was given tickets to ACL - Austin City Limits - for Sunday night and the Eagles were the last band to perform. I was just ecstatic to have this chance, I mean , my GOSH....THE EAGLES! This was THE group I loved when I was in high school! How many times did we drive around the square back in Anson, Texas singing "Take It Easy" or "Witchy Woman"???? I never even imagined I would have the chance to see them in person! But...yesterday...10-10-10...I set out towards Austin, Texas....having NO IDEA where I was going! As much as I've secretly wanted to be a "hippie"...I've never even been to Zilker Park! Luckily Cari guided me via telephone....she knew exactly how to get me there! I parked at Congress and Riverside and walked about 10 miles...it seemed! I was told it was closer to 1 mile! I followed the crowd....people of all races...style...age....all of us marching towards our destination....passing a vast array of people who gathered along Barton Springs Rd. Some were vendors attempting to sell their wares to the thousands who passed them! There was everything from organic pitas to colorful glass pipes and bongs to "Keep Austin Weird" t-shirts! Musicians also played along the way with ukuleles, guitars and tambourines hoping passerbyers would drop some coins in their tip box. One laughing group sat in a small trailer park sharing a bottle of wine! All the while we trudged on being tempted by the pedicabs that rang their bike bells and called for us to let them "take us on a ride to the park!" I finally made it after about a 30 minute hike. They checked my Life is Good backpack and sent me on into the gates where Lisa waited with my FREE ticket. I looked out onto a sea of people who walked throughout the park....all of us there because of our love of music and our dream to see musicians that we loved. We bought drinks and found a place to throw down our blanket while we listened to Band of Horses and Norah Jones. We moved toward the Eagles stage while Norah sang....walking swiftly through the mass of strangers....bumping and nudging them as we plowed forward, finally finding a spot near the left side of the stage. Eight o'clock finally arrived, along with the roar of the crowd in anticipation to the first song! We stood and smiled and laughed amidst a crowd that sang and danced and swayed....all of us moving to the beat of the music underneath a sliver of a crescent moon....beautiful night....beautiful weather....perfect....all of us enjoying a "peaceful...easy feeling..."



Thank you, Lisa!!!!

I'm Warning YOU!

What a weekend! I rose with the sun on Saturday morning....4:30 a.m. to be exact! Donald was off bright and early and I decided to get on the road and head to Lisa's in LaGrange.....really we had grand plans of heading to Warrington, Texas....home of one of the largest antique fairs ever...the Warrington/Round Top Antique Fair. You may be asking yourself why I have a picture of a yellow porta-potty. That is my story....and let this statement be on the record....I AM WARNING YOU. I have a history of stomach problems...from way back in high school when as a 17 yr. old I spent my Thanksgiving holiday in the Anson Hospital having a barium enema. The diagnosis back in 1972 was that I had a "nervous stomach" and I was put on meds for my "problem"....which consisted of going to the bathroom immediately after eating.

Well....Saturday morning was absolutely beautiful! I saw the sun rise and loved the picture it painted until the sun rose high enough to blind me! I stopped at Starbucks in Temple and grabbed my usual venti skinny vanilla latte and lowfat berry muffin. Loved every bite and sip! Anyway, I began to feel like my stomach might act up, but I was looking forward to my trip and I put the "pain" in the back of my mind....telling myself that it would go away. I surprised Lisa by getting to her house at 8:30 in the morning...we hopped in her Explorer and headed the mere 7 miles to the crowds of people who had gathered to buy or barter or browse or binge! We headed to our favorite spot...Junk Gypsies and decided that the prices on t-shirts had sky-rocketed and we just "browsed"! We set out on a journey to find the "cheapest cute stuff" we could find. Before long, we were starving and I decided that some food on my stomach would make me feel better. We found foot long State Fair corn dogs and some ribbon fries and a much need table under a shade! After filling our tummies, we set out in search of a bargain. It didn't take long for me to start looking for a porta-potty. As much as I hate to "go" in one of those things, I knew I HAD to find one. We knew exactly where to find one...there were some located behind a barn and there were shade trees near them....as well as some tables and chairs near (but far enough to be on the safe side). Now....this is where you may want to sign off........

I was sick....really sick....like I was not gonna make it sick! I locked myself into the "yellow box" and started sweating. I really wanted to die....now this sickness I have gives me, you know...the "D" word. And I don't like having "D" in a "yellow box", but there was nothing I could do. I sat and sat and sweated and sweated for about 15 min. Wearily, I shuffled back to where Lisa was sitting and I told her again about how sick I was. And then it hit me again...I had to go back...once again I was in the "hot yellow box" for about 20 minutes....I returned to Lisa when it hit again....and I scooted on back to the "stinky hot yellow box". This time I was sure I was gonna die. I was so hot....I can't believe I feel the need to tell you all this but...I'm thinking it might make you feel better about yourself if you are ever in my shape......well, I was so hot, began to take my clothes off. Off came my shirt and my capris....just sitting there in my bra and panties....sick and sweating. Lisa came to check on me and I actually had her to open the door for me while I sat there...until someone came near. My hair and body was dripping with sweat. I finally dressed (hard to do in one of those things...) and returned to Lisa. About that time, an answered prayers occurred...the lady that lived on the property near the porta potties, drove up. Lisa actually knew her and went over to tell her I was sick and asked if we could go into her house so I could use her bathroom. Honest Injun....I went into a complete stranger's house to go to the bathroom! Oh...it was wonderful....the air conditioner was on and a blast of cold arctic air hit me in the face as I entered the stranger's house. It had to be turned down to at least 55 degrees and I didn't even think twice about the big black pit bulldog that was sitting on the couch when we walked in. It felt wonderful. I sat on normal "potty" in a normal bathroom and I began to feel as if I was gonna survive! After about an hour of being sick....I felt better. The "sickness" always seems to leave as quickly as it arrives. I looked back on the events of that horrid hour and asked myself if I really sat naked in one of those "yellow boxes". Oh...it was bad...I just can't tell you how bad, BUT once we left the lady's house, we set out with a new outlook on life! Poor Lisa...she had to wait on me and my sickness...but thank goodness she was there to open and shut the porta potty door for me! In order to remember my stay in the "yellow box", I found some really cute "yellow box" flip flops and I bought them. They actually made me feel much better!

What is that smell?

I smell like breast milk and spit-up. It's not my breast milk or my spit-up. I've been keeping Madilyn and Denton this weekend so Hillary could go to Austin with her hubby, Dennis for her birthday. She left me about ten 6-8 oz. disposable bags full of breast milk so I could feed Mr. Denton. I put them in the freezer but before I knew it, they were thawing...one by one... in the fridge! He was so good and he didn't seem to mind the bottle he was getting it from at all! But he ate and ate and ate and I was beginning to get worried. What if he drank all his milk??? And then, he spit up an entire bottle on me. It was yellow and curdled. I suspected that this may have been some of the milk from early June that Hill had frozen after he was born....BUT....we didn't have milk to spare! What if he needed more????I began to worry even more. She sent a large container of liquid Similac, but I knew if I had to open it, that it would ruin before he drank it all. So I began to plan......I would get out of the house someway and go to the grocery store. But how the hell was I gonna go anywhere with these little beings in tow. I had not left my house since Friday night when Donald and I took Denton and Madilyn to the football game...which by the way was great fun....we sat with Gina and Denver and Averi....but since Gina is assistant principal, she had to "monitor" the end zones and make sure no one was playing in the end zones (school rules and another blog)...but Averi and Maddie entertained us with cheers. Madilyn is quite the hip shaker!!!! Anyway, once we made it home that night, Madilyn and Denton went straight to bed. And Denton slept til 6:00 the next morning. Averi came over to join us about 9:00 Saturday morning. She wanted pancakes, so while Gina was there to hold Denton, I made pancakes for my grand-daughters! After that...I stayed pretty much 100% busy. I forgot what it was like to have a baby and small children! And at one point in my life, I had a baby, a 9 yr. old, a 14 yr. old, and a 17 yr. old......I was an expert! But OMG, that was years ago!!!! This morning I spent holding that precious baby...I couldn't stand to put him down and let him cry. So I rocked and fed him and burped him and read to the girls and fed him and burped him and changed him and fed him and over and over! Lunch for the girls was a peanut butter and granny's jelly sandwich...chex mix...mandarin oranges...I ate the edges of their leftover sandwiches and three pretzels from the chex mix and four mandarin oranges...I noticed after lunch that I was still in my pajamas. So, I lay Denton down and pulled on a Life is Good t-shirt and my khaki Columbia shorts. The girls were playing "mommy" with several dolls and of course my old cell phones....I was rocking Denton and noticed that Averi and Madilyn were in the other recliner, rocking their babies and "talking" on their cell phones. We all took a nap and I woke up with a greater appreciation for life!!! It was time to feed Denton again....I'm counting "milk bags" and trying to calculate how long they'll last if he eats 6 oz. every 3 hours or 8 oz. every 4 hours....math.......I look down and notice my tshirt has "milk" stains all over it! And I'm beginning to really smell. I've not had a shower since Friday morning and it's about 5:30 p.m. on Saturday by now! The girls are hungry, so I prop Denton in the crook of my left arm and throw a box of chicken nuggets in the microwave, and warm up some macaroni and cheese and open a can of corn to heat on the stove top. The girls chow down like they are in a five star restaurant! I eat 1/2 of Maddie's leftover chicken nugget and a spoonful of corn. I'm beginning to wonder if I've eaten today! Luckily, the girls want dessert later, and I fix them a root beer float! Averi drinks all of hers, but Maddie shares, hmmm, maybe three sips with me!!!! I put the girls in the shower while I get Denton ready for bed. My kitchen is a wreck. There is an empty can of corn, an empty box of chicken nuggets and velveeta mac and cheese all on the counter. Paper plates are on the table.....four dirty bottles are in the sink along with my coffee cup and the empty float cups....kernels of corn are on the floor...and there is a chicken nugget under the kitchen table. I'm tempted to pick it up and eat it....I'm hungry! I don't have time to clean nor any desire. I get the girls out of the shower and put them in their matching jammies and get their beds ready on the floor. We turn "Ice Age" on for the millionth time (today!!!) and I begin to smell my shirt....not good! Worse than that, I'm beginning to wonder if I even put deodorant on this morning. I know I didn't brush my hair all day! No one wants to lay down to sleep except me....I'm tired...and I stink. The girls are fighting over the same mattress that I've put on the floor. They finally crawl up into Dillan's bed....I put Denton in his playpen...and I put two pillows at the end of the baby mattress that I had put on the floor for Maddie....I collapsed on the baby mattress, not caring that my feet were hanging off the end of it. Denton only sleeps about 30 minutes so I get up with him and give him his midnight bottle (only four bags of milk left!). We rock in the recliner and sleep there until about 2:00 a.m. I head back to my baby mattress....he wakes again about 3:00 and we head back to the recliner where we sleep til 5:00...I fall onto my baby mattress not caring that my feet are on the floor! He wakes at 6:00 and the girls follow at 7:00. Donald agrees to watch them while I go to the grocery store and get more milk and some bananas. I still smell like spit up, but I do have on a clean t-shirt and clean shorts. I don't remember if I put on deoderant....again...I've still not showered since Friday morning! The grocery store is freezing...I'm glad I remembered my bra! I grab the food and find a can of powdered Similac...just in case he doesn't like the liquid Similac!!! I return to hungry girls and a hungry baby. We have biscuits and honey/butter for breakfast....I eat...finally! We bathe Denton and lather him lotion. He smells so good and I'm jealous of a 3 month old! Gina picks Averi up about 9:00....Maddie was not too happy about that, but I reminded her it was her mommy's birthday, so she made a birthday card just for Hillary. I decide to go to Alco...a major decision on my part...but we do it! I get them into their carseats and remember that I've still not put on makeup or brushed my hair or taken a shower!!! Who cares???? We make it to Alco and I find Hillary a card and some dish towels (what a crappy gift!!!). But we made it! We survived and soon....with only one bag of breast milk left....Hillary and Dennis return! What a fun weekend we all had!!! Before I knew it, they were pulling out of the driveway, heading back to Waco...leaving me with a sweet smell on my shoulder......no more little ones in the house....no more "Ice Age"....no more singing "The Fox went out on a chilly night"....ohhhh.....I miss them.....maybe I'll go take a shower!!!!

Wicked Witch rides in Thunderstorm

After several hours of watching Hannah Montana and The Suite Lives of Zack and Cody, I had enough! You can't imagine how excited I was when Denver turned to an old Donald Duck
cartoon! It was short lived and soon Hannah and her dad were reading the script as they told silly jokes about body functions. Anyway, before going insane, I suggested a bike ride! We all pulled on our shoes and dashed out the door to get on the bikes. Denver and Averi reminded me to do a "bike check" (thanks to the bike show we had at school this year) and sure 'nuf, we had to air up three tires! Thank goodness the streets in my neighborhood are fairly level. However, I'm sure I could see my legs becoming muscular as I pumped that bike down the street! We all rolled along singing one of my favorite Harry Nilsson songs..."Driving along at 57,000 miles an hour...look at those people standing on the petals of a flower...look at those petals pumping for a little bit of power....wow o wow o o o!" Anyway, we were having a good time until we started hearing rumbling from the sky. The clouds were turning dark and noisy! I could just imagine a tornado swooping down and carrying me into the sky while I was on my bike....and all the school kids would see me riding through the air and think of me as the wicked witch in Wizard of Oz....By the way....the song you hear as she is riding in the clouds is the song I hum whenever I see anyone on a bike or when I'm on a bike. So after a good 45 minutes of riding, Averi informed me that her knees hurt. Thunder and tired legs sent us back to the house to relax and.....watch...oh, no...you've got to be kidding...Denver has Zack and Cody on again.....These shows are really as bad as you can imagine!!!!!

Two Gypsies

Lisa and I met at Hillary's on Sunday, July 18. We loaded up in the Black Honda and sped away, stopping immediately at Sonic to load up on caffeine! We headed out of Waco towards East Texas....promising each other we would stop whenever and where ever we wanted to stop!

By the time we got to Corsicana we were beginning to feel hunger pains....the almonds and walnuts we had been snacking on weren't quite as filling as these two traveling gypsies needed. We stopped at Collins Street Bakery with high hopes of a delicious sandwich and maybe some of the baked cookies that lined the glass shelves. However, after waiting 45 minutes on Lisa's sandwich (they lost the order!), we left the joint with heavy hearts. They did take half off our sandwiches and a bag of cookies that no one else wanted.

Ruby joined us along the way. She was too much for us at times and we had to put her in the trunk!

We picked these two fellas up to keep Ruby company, but had to let them out down the road because they had horrific gas.

Soon the rolling hills turned to piney woods....tall trees towering over us like skyscrapers...and the highway turned to a red brick road.....and there we found Richie and Linda's apartment!

It was great to see them! We went to eat at Jason's Deli....wonderful as always. It makes me feel like I didn't eat too much when I eat all their fresh, organic food. I stuffed myself with all the makings of a salad, organic humus....pudding sprinkled with granola....Full of good food, we returned to Richie and Linda's house to laugh at facebook and all the events in our lives! We climbed into bed....it was just like going to a bed and breakfast. The bed was soft and covered in a white down comforter...just perfect until a few minutes after turning out the light, we were blinded by a bright fluorescent light, similar to a UFO shining in the window. The television had come on for about 5 seconds and scared the peewadins out of us!

After a good night's sleep, we headed to LaPorte to visit with Larry and Margaret Ann. It was wonderful to see them. We puttered around the backyard and laughed about our memories of Mother. It never failed that after a visit to Larry's, Mother would go home to West Texas with the goodies she had taken from their tropical backyard paradise and try to plant them in that hard red dirt in her hot, dry backyard!

Notice the mailbox...it came from Mother and Daddy's house in Anson! And then notice the Christmas lights on their back porch.....leftovers from a Christmas party! They loved them so much they left them up!

Supper was a typical bay side dish.....shrimp boil! We could have fed a dozen more! It was wonderful!

On the way home....we made a quick trip to IKEA! We browsed the top floor and then finally found the IKEA cafe! We loaded up on coffee and Ballerina cookies! Neither of us will be ballerinas after the amount of food we ate on our trip!

As Ruby says, "Folks...I can guarantee you....we had a wonderful time! But now....On the Road again....Like a band of gypsies we go down the highway....We're the best of friends...Insisting that the world keep turning our way...and our way!"

Hey Cupcakes!

It takes a lot of car seats and patience to buckle up FIVE precious pieces of cargo!!!!!
Now...Let the wild rumpus begin!!!!!
What happens with Nana....stays with Nana!!!

Steak and Shake was delish!!!! Personally, I did not stay on any sort of healthy diet during my stay in Austin!

Waiting for the bats to fly!!!!

Denton would rather be snoozing, but Madilyn ready for the flight!

It was great to have Lisa and my niece, Bonnie to help hold a hand....Five kids....Five adults....it was definitely helpful...We felt like we had played a basketball game that night....the Kids won!!!! They may have been little, but they were feisty!

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Before this happy picture....Hillary had to jump in after Madilyn! I walked in to find Hillary's shorts and t-shirt dripping wet....Madilyn decided to go into the pool WITHOUT her floaties and Hillary decided to go in WITHOUT changing into her swimsuit first! Maddie wore her floaties after realizing she couldn't "walk in the pool" like Denver and Averi!

Denton....3 weeks and Tristin....9 1/2 months! Wow...what a difference a few months makes...as well as a few meals!!!

Nana crew! Averi, Denver, Madilyn, Tristin, and Denton....

hey cupcake! on Congress Ave.....amazing cupcakes BUT, I suggest you go at night or during the winter months to avoid the heat that reflects from that shiny trailer!!! Wow it was hot!
You might want to take a new box of Wet Wipes because you will have icing all over your face and hands.....it would be convenient if they offered a shower afterwards!

Kevin joined us for this excursion!










What an amazing time I had! Let me just say, it was much easier to travel back in the "olden" days....we spent 50% of our time unbuckling and buckling car seats!!! Since Cari lives in Buda, I took Hillary and Denton to her house to stay. I wanted to stay at Hampton Inn with Denver, Averi and Madilyn so they could swim and be loud and jump on the beds in the motel room. Luckily this motel had a rule...Rule 32823 You can only jump on the bed between 6:00 p.m and 7:00 p.m. The kids were great....they all took turns pushing the button on the elevator (they chose the floor we could stay on...which was 4...I'm sure they would have chosen 9 if they had offered it to us!). They also took turns helping me with the key-card. Lisa and Bonnie came to join our fun and after a swim, we headed to Steak and Shake for supper before heading to the Congress Bridge to watch the bats. The bats were not cooperative at all and didn't start leaving on their nightly flight until after dark...so we couldn't see as much as we wanted. We stopped by Amy's Ice Cream for a late night snack....sooo good! We didn't get to tour the Capitol, but I promised them we would go back during August for that. Nana sorta got lost on the way to the Capitol and the kids sorta fell asleep on our way. So we settled for a slushie! And of course, we stopped by hey cupcake! on our way home and it was fabulous! I'm ready for another trip....well, not today. I need to take a few naps and do a few pushups before I take them all again!

Contacts

Okay...so I'm as old as..well...let's just say I'm over half a century (ouch). For some weird reason, I decided I should try contact lenses. Today was my first day. I had to go for a "tutorial" and it was embarrassing. I nearly failed. I know I frustrated the he!! out of the poor "tutor". I could not get the fricking contact in my left eye. I got the right contact in after three tries. But, OMG, I could not get in the left. I wanted to cry. I was so mad at myself. I know the lady that was helping me was thinking "This is the oldest woman in the world to come in and try to wear contacts. As old as she is, surely she can get the darn thing in her eye." I know I heard those words come out of her! I know she felt the same way I do when I try to teach a third grader how to explain multiplication and they can't! "Sweetheart, can you show me with your tiles how you multiply 5 x 2?" For some reason, they can't show me! "Honey, make five groups of two" and they come up with two groups of four. It drives me crazy and this is what I was doing to this lady today. She kept telling me to open my eye when I was putting the contact in, but my eyelids would not cooperate....at all. It is abnormal to keep your eye open when your finger is headed toward it! After about 15 attempts, I finally got the lefty in....I was elated and then she told me to take them out and do it all over again. I obeyed, unwillingly. And I finally got the hang of it. However, I had no makeup left under my eyes and I had wiped half of my eye shadow off. I looked like a clown...an OLD clown. I wore them for the prescribed 5 hours and I was able to get them out without calling 911! Mission accomplished...now we'll see about tomorrow!

Out of Shape/Signs of Aging

I am so out of shape! It hit me this morning when I awoke to sore legs....I'm sad to say that it may be because I went up a long flight of stairs! Sad, huh? Lazy ladies should take the elevator and NOT the stairs...especially if you've spent your summer sitting on your rear checking out FACEBOOK, playing FARKLE or catching up on HGTV! But Lisa and I were determined not to appear as old as a couple of old sisters who shuffle around the mall in their SAS walking shoes and matching t-shirts. So we high stepped up the flight of stairs at The Shops in Waco! http://www.shopsofriversquarecenter.com/ I really love this place, but in order to enjoy it you have to venture upstairs. Lisa and I had just enjoyed a Rt. 44 Sonic drink (hooray for happy hour!) and lunch at Hillary's. We felt it would be best to take the stairs instead of the elevator so we could burn off a few calories...once you get up the stairs there seems to be about 5 acres of "wonder"! Oh...so much to see! We walked and browsed and "oohed and aahed", sniffed and dabbed and even made a few purchases. It was wonderful until 24 hours had passed and my legs began to hurt! I know...it is sad and I have plans to start walking and exercising again..I really do..just as soon as I go to get a coke at Sonic (it's Happy Hour!), check my FACEBOOK, play a few games of FARKLE

and finish watching this episode of House Hunters!

JUST SAY NO!

Braggin' Rights

This is a bragging post! Hillary and Dennis welcomed Denton Karl Thom into the world on June 21! Hillary had a smooth delivery and Denton was just perfect. I'm so blessed to have five adorable grandchildren...along with their parents...and of course Dillan who hopefully is years away from parenthood! Just want to show my little brood off!

Dillan just off the plane from 10 days in Europe. He was extra excited to get his iPhone back!

Tristin....he's 8 1/2 months and is growing up way too fast! He is cutting teeth and learning to crawl. He'll be walking before we know it!

Madilyn...just about an hour before her little brother was born. Denton was 6 lbs. and 13 oz. and 20 inches long. Isn't he a doll?

Cousins....Denton, Averi -5, Denver-7, Tristin 8 1/2 months and Maddie-3.

Proud Uncle Dillan and big sister Maddie

Home from the hospital....so so sweet!

Maddie came to Nana's house for a few days after Denton was born. Averi and Denver came over for a sleepover...we sang and danced and turned flips and rode bikes and swam and tried really hard to sleep!

The night before Denton was born, Hillary asked Maddie what she would do once Denton was born. Maddie said, "I'm gonna stick him back in!" Looks like she may have changed her mind! Isn't this adorable?

Caldrea

I love the days when Lily comes to clean my house! There is nothing better than coming home to a clean smelling house...floors mopped and vacuumed...furniture dusted....bathrooms clean (no nasty commodes)....kitchen spotless.....rugs scattered in all the wrong places (that drives me crazy, but I'll not complain too much). While in Waco, I shopped at my favorite place...The Shops. This week all their Caldrea products were on sale...40% off! I was ecstatic! I love Caldrea products. My favorite fragrance is Ginger Pomelo....let me say it is heavenly! The countertop cleaner is super and makes the kitchen smell divine. The all-purpose cleaner can be use anywhere...I guess that's why they call it all-purpose cleaner. Lily uses it to mop the floors and clean the bathrooms.

My new fav is the Linen Spray! It can be used anywhere to make the house smell fresh and clean. I love to spray it on my sheets before I go to bed or I guess you could spray the sheets when you wake up...whatever or whenever...you'll love it.

Now this bad boy brush is just what the doctor ordered. I bought it on sale as well! It is gigantic....it's about 10 inches long and the brush will cover a large area! I think I might even want to clean my floor or my shower with it! Or if I really want to clean my teeth, I can use it for my daily tooth cleansing.

If you are looking for some super cleaning supplies...you might try these products. I think you'll love them. At least buy the Linen Spray and just squirt away and at least your house will smell good even if it's dirty!