Three More Days

The girls are already planning what they will be doing on Thursday. That is the first day of their summer vacation. Ryan's last day is tomorrow.

I keep wondering when I get my vacation, but I guess I gave that up when I became a mom. I will settle for eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, because it's been a while since I've had that. Luckily my kids are now old enough to get up themselves, and make their own breakfast.

I am so happy by baby days are behind me. Now I get to look forward to grandbabies.

Drop Your Buff

Whenever I hear the word Buff, I think of Survivor, and hear Jeff saying, "drop your buffs". The contestants on the show wear them as so many different things. I have seen them used as a top and as a skirt on the really skinny women. The men and women both use them as headbands and wristbands. I have even seen them wrapped around their legs, and used as eye masks while they are sleeping. They really are pretty versatile.

I found this website where you can buy UV Buffs. My favorite is the purple paisley one in the picture over there. These buffs are made from Coolmax, a fabric that blocks 95% of Ultra Violet Rays and keeps the sweat away from your body by pulling it to the outer layer where it can evaporate faster. These UV Buffs would be perfect for the sports enthusiast, because they are designed to be odorless and breathable. They have no seam, so they are comfortable to wear. I would totally walk around wearing this as a headband, or using it in one of the other twelve ways it can be worn. These buffs are a definite must have for the summer heat.

Finally Nice Enough

It was finally nice enough for us to fish for a little while this afternoon. It was nice in the shade, but the sun was hot. The little fishies were biting, and I caught a few. The girls did, too.

Junior and Ryan prefer to fish on the bottom of the lake, and neither of them caught anything. We didn't stay long, though, because the pavilion was rented out, and they started blasting some funky music that gave me a headache.

I am hoping to get the rest of the pictures uploaded to my picture blog tonight or tomorrow.

Lasik

I have been toying with the idea of having my eyes fixed so I wouldn't have to wear my glasses. I went online and found information about lasik eye surgery in utah. This site had so much information about the surgery. It explains the procedure, and the things you should expect before and after having it done. Of course I would have to find a local place to have my eyes done, and that should be pretty easy. My dad's wife had her eyes done a couple of years ago, and she is extremely happy with her results. I know it will be nice not to have to wear my glasses everyday.

Back Story

Did any of you watch Harper's Island last night?

I am so happy that we are finally getting a little back story. They showed flashbacks of the day Abby's mother was killed, and we now know why she was murdered. I am ready for them to wrap it up so we can find out who the killer is.

At this point, I have no idea. Everyone keeps getting killed. It will be interesting to see who is still alive when all is said and done.

My money is on Henry and Abby.

Leaks

When we moved into this apartment, I had just had surgery. I wasn't able to lift anything, so a lot of the boxes were put in the shed until I could get to them.

That was almost a year ago, and the boxes are still in our shed. Ryan decided to dig out his mini pool table a couple of days ago, and discovered that some of the boxes had water damage. Apparently the roof is leaking, so Junior needs to fix it. That might mean hiring Roofing Contractors because with his back and shoulder it will be difficult for him to get up there. Ryan has volunteered to get on the roof, but I just don't think he's old enough yet for a job that big.

Maybe in a few years.

My First Cuke!

Look at my little baby cucumber! Isn't it adorable. I was so excited this morning to see these little guys all over the cucumber plants. I can not wait until stuff starts ripening. I am going to be giving away produce if everything comes in the way it looks like it will. Wait, did that make sense? You know what I mean. I will be sharing with whoever wants some.

Supplements

I am the worst when it comes to taking vitamins. I know I am at an age when I should be taking at least a multi vitamin every day, and maybe some supplements as well. I had my cholesterol checked last year, and the total was under 200, but the nurse said my "good" side should be higher than what it was. I have been looking into finding a supplement that can help lower my bad cholesterol, and found Beta Glucan. This is an all natural supplement with no artificial coloring. It is supposed to help lower your cholesterol, strengthen your immune system, and reduce your risk of heart disease. I am going to try it, and hopefully I can get my cholesterol where it should be.

Two Of My Beautiful Creations

My girls, Kasi and Brandi. It didn't take them long to be rolling around the yard once I finished mowing the grass. They are looking forward to school getting out Wednesday. Ryan only has to go on Monday, when he will finish all his testing. The girls have half days Tuesday and Wednesday, and then they are done. I am looking forward to a lazy, relaxing summer.

Help With Debt

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Mowing, Mowing, Mowing

For the past two months, I have been cutting our neighbors grass because they don't have a mower. Today I cut grass, and you can see in the picture what I cut.

Just our side. I am no longer doing for them, when they have been so nasty about their dog. It's funny, but the neighbor came in while we were outside today, and didn't wave or anything like he normally does. We ran to the store, and when we came back, he was outside and he waved. When we got out of the van, he said hey and asked how we were doing.

Wanna know why he was so nice?

Because he had that flippin' dog outside without a leash, and he knows that we know that he was told yesterday that the dog had to be on a leash for the five days that he has to get rid of it.

Did that just make sense? Let's try again.

He was given five days yesterday, by the management company, to get rid of the dog.
Until he does, the dog MUST be on a leash when outside.
The owner's wife told me that herself.
He knows I won't think twice about reporting him again.

T Shirts

Brandi brought her field day shirt home from school on Thursday. Every year her school has printed t shirts made for every class in the school. It's great for field day because you can easily see which kid belongs in which class. The school has the shirt printing done, but the parents have to pay for it. I am thinking of having some screen printed t shirts made for my kids, that way I can spot them easily when we go to the park. These shirts are a great idea for family reunions too. You can upload your own photo or logo to go on the shirts, and the more you order, the cheaper they are. I am pretty sure I can come up with a cute design for my family. I am pretty creative.

Camera Critters ~ Week One

Thank goodness there was a nice think piece of glass between me and this thing. Yes, I said thing. I know it has a technical name, but all I think when I see it is giant spider, and it creeps me out. I took this picture at our local zoo last month.

To participate, go here.

Credit Help

I have mentioned before how Junior and I are trying to repair our less than perfect credit. We took a step in the right direction when we decided to rent from a company that reports to credit agencies. Every month we pay our rent we are taking one more step in the right direction. At this point, rent, cable, insurance, power, and the car payment are our only monthly bills. We are behind on a few of these, but we always manage to catch up. Luckily, we do not have any credit card debt right now. This is mostly because we can not qualify for any, which is kind of a blessing in disguise. I know there are plenty of people out there who are struggling just like we are, and they are turning to professionals to help them get their heads back above water. Debt Reduction is a great option for people who have credit card debt. Credit counselors can help combine your balances, lower your interest rates, and in some instances, combine everything into one low monthly payment. They also offer tips on how to spend your money more efficiently, making the most of the money you have. Even though we don't have credit card debt, many of the tips are relevant to us as well. Now it's just a matter of putting those tips to work for us.

Kid Picnic Tables

Junior got a bunch of wood from work, and he decided that we are going to attempt to make a kids picnic table. I want to make one that looks like this, but we will probably just do a standard rectangular one. It won't be made for toddlers, but more for my kids. Brandi is excited because she wants to paint it when it's done. I haven't decided if I want it painted or stained; I just know it needs something.

I will be posting pictures as soon as it's done.

Front Of The Line Manta Pass

Did you watch that video? I want to go ride the Manta right now. It looks awesome! I love when they went over the water and they got splashed. That is too cool.

In case you don't know, the Manta is SeaWorld Orlando's newest roller coaster. As you saw in the video, you lay face down the entire ride. I have never been on a coaster like that, and now I really, really want to. If you want to ride it too, make sure and enter the contest to win a "front of the line" pass. It's so easy to enter, too. They have six different things you need to do.

First, take the Manta quiz. It's five simple questions, and you can find the answers throughout the Manta site, or by following Shamu on Twitter. Pretty easy, right?

Second, Take a picture that says "I heart Manta" and upload it to flickr. Still pretty easy.

Third, get your friends to ride with you. They will get a code to use to sign up, and once you have three friends in the row with you, you've completed this step.

Fourth, make a video showing how excited you are to be riding the Manta. Upload that video to YouTube. Still pretty easy.

Fifth, wear the Manta mask. you can download it, cut it out, put it on, take a picture, and upload that picture to flickr. A few more steps to this one, but well worth the effort.

And lastly, follow @RealShamu on Twitter.

That's it. Complete all six steps, and you get a "front of the line" pass.

Maybe I'll see you there!

Big Boys

Check out my tomatoes. These were supposed to be my grape tomatoes, but it doesn't look like that's what I got. My mom is excited, because she wanted big ones to make fried green tomatoes. I like the big ones for sandwiches, but prefer the little ones for my salads.

Luckily, my cherry and roma plants have tons of tomatoes on them. Now I just have to wait for them to turn red!

Heading Up North

My sister Tami has been asking me to come visit her in New York. I would love to be able to go, especially in July for her baby shower. I know she wouldn't mind if the kids and I stayed with her, but I know that with her husband and three kids, and my husband and three kids, it will be crowded. I really want to stay for a week or two, because my kids hardly ever get to see their cousins. I can already see myself lounging around her in ground pool and enjoying time with my family.

The most expensive part of the trip is always the drive up and back. Between gas and tolls, it can easily cost a couple of hundred dollars. If I want to stay in a hotel, I am going to have to find some extended stay hotel promotions. I know it won't be cheap for a family of five to stay in a hotel for a week or two, and I want to find the best deal possible. With the economy the way it is, people are choosing not to go on vacation because they can not afford to. With this in mind, I hope to find budget hotel summer specials and take advantage of them. I know prices will be competitive, and that will work to my advantage. I won't have to pay to eat out, I can just cook at my sister's house, so that should save me some money.

I hope I can make this work, because it has been so long since I have been up north, and I would love to see everyone.

Rain, Rain, Go Somewhere Else!

I bet you thought I would say go away, right?

It has rained so much this past week, our little creek looks like a raging river. My front yard is once again a giant mud puddle. I wanted to get the grass cut, but there's no way. Junior also borrowed my sister's husband's trailer to pick up the limbs and other junk in our yard, and I wanted to do that tomorrow. Now I don't know what we're going to do. The sun is shining right now, and I think the rain has finally passed, so maybe by tomorrow the yard will have dried out a bit.

Seeing In The Dark

We plan on going camping this summer. The last time we went, I got lost one night coming back from the bathroom. Sure, I has a flashlight, but it was so dark that everything blended together. I am thinking that this year I am going to be prepared and get some night vision goggles or something. I know OpticsPlanet.com has a wide variety of night vision goggles, binoculars and cameras. Their staff can help you find exactly what you are looking for, and they also sell military and tactical gear. They also offer free UPS and APO shipping.

I was originally only looking for night vision goggles, but now that I know I can get a night vision camera, I might get both. You all know how much I love taking pictures. Taking them in the dark would be awesome.

Stormy

We are having a pretty bad storm right now.

Window rattling thunder and bright white lightening.

I know I should turn off this computer, but I won't.

There is nothing on television, and I want to play on Facebook.

Have I mentioned that I live there now?

Hummingbirds

Have you ever seen a hummingbird fly?

I have. My mom loves them, and had a glass hummingbird feeder that they love to come eat out of. She had it right outside her dining room window, and I loved to just sit and watch as they came to drink up the nectar. It's amazing to me that they can flap their little wings so quickly. They are such beautiful birds.

My mom recently moved, and she didn't have a good place at her apartment to hang her hummingbird feeder, so she left it behind. I am sure whoever is living in her old house is enjoying watching the birds like I did. Now that my mom is house hunting, I am excited for her to move into a place of her own. As a housewarming gift, I am going to get her a new hummingbird feeder. I know she will love it. I might also buy one for myself.

Wait, that may not be a good idea. As much as I love watching hummingbirds fly, my outside cats would love them even more. I don't think I could handle seeing them get hurt. I might just wait until I go to my moms to enjoy their beauty.

Dear John

We went to the library last weekend, and I got this book. I have read a lot of his stuff, and I always enjoy it.

This one is no different. I won't give anything away, and if you are a fan of his I am sure you have already read this. I started it yesterday and can't put it down.

I got a Stephen King book and James Patterson book, so I should be good for the next week. LOL!

I Love This Dress

I am sure I have discussed before how hard it is sometimes for larger women, like myself, to find nice clothes. I know when I shop, I want to find something cute that fits me well and is comfortable. Trust me when I say there is nothing worse than wearing clothes that don't fit properly, and being uncomfortable and hot. It is not a nice feeling, and unfortunately I feel that way quite often.

I was browsing the Large Ladies Clothing at Simply Be, and found this really adorable little dress. I love the colors, which is odd for me because I usually wear black. In fact, I think 99% of my wardrobe is black. It would be nice to step out of my comfort zone and wear something different. I like the fitted top of the dress, and since my surgery I can wear stuff like that. It's not too long or too short. I like where it falls right above the knee.

This is only one of many dresses available, as well as pants, jackets, swimsuits, and lingerie. I have not bought any new bras since my surgery, and they have a beautiful selection. I was never able to buy anything other than white ones before, so it will be fun to get some colored ones. Maybe something black. See, there I go again with the black. I really need to get over this.

No Show, Yet Again

I was so hopeful that the management company was going to do something about this stupid dog next door. They were supposed to come out on Tuesday.

They never showed.

In their defense, it was raining pretty hard all day, and they couldn't have checked the water meter. But it's now Thursday, and they still haven't shown up.

The dog is no longer outside during the day, but that is simply because they are both working now. But, Brandi almost stepped in poop, in my yard, on the way to the bus stop this morning.

I am going to give them a few days, and then I'm calling again. Our lease is up in July, and we decided to resign, but we may rethink that decision if that dog is still over there.

Cute Maternity Clothes

As most of you know, two of my sister's are having babies. My older sister is almost six months along, and my youngest sister is about four. Tami, my oldest sister gave away all of her maternity clothes after her last son was born six years ago, never expecting to get pregnant again. It's a good thing she likes to shop, because she has had to buy all new clothes.

I was looking online for cute maternity clothes for her, because she doesn't like the computer too much. I found this cute little tank top at kikisfashions.com and think it would look great on her. Unlike me, she is skinny, and I think she would love this pattern. If she doesn't, I am sure she will find something she likes, because they have a big selection of maternity clothes. Their prices are great, too, about 75% cheaper than a boutique. I can even give her this code, "blogfriends", to use at checkout to get 20% off her order. You can use that code, too. I am all about sharing the savings.

Comment

I just want to share a great idea with you. Judy (who doesn't have a blog I can get to) left a comment on the post below about my potpourri jars. She said that she made some, and put twinkle lights in the jar, and when they warmed the potpourri, you could notice it more. The lights don't get hot enough to burn anything, but I wouldn't leave them on for extended periods of time.

I LOVE this idea, and can not wait to make some for myself. My house is going to smell so nice!

I Decided

I have finally decided what I want to make for the teacher's end of the year gifts. A few years ago, at Christmas time, I made potpourri jars for my sisters and the kids teachers. They were really easy to make, and didn't cost too much money. In fact, I think I got the potpourri at a dollar store. All I did was crochet a little doily that I tied to the top of the jar with a pretty ribbon. Of course, the jar was filled with the potpourri. When I made those, I used empty food jars. This year I want to use some pretty jars instead.

I found these cute little bean pot jars at jarstore.com. They have glass jars for bulk sale, or you can buy just what you need. I like that the lids come separately, because I don't use the lids when I make my potpourri jars. Of course, if you want the lids, they do have them for sale. They had all different styles of jars to choose from. I had a tough time deciding between these and the honey pot jars.

These jars are designed to be used to make candles, but if you are like me, you can think of a hundred other uses for them. I would love to get a few, fill them with black and white marbles, to use as a centerpiece on my kitchen table. I think that would look so pretty.

PR Update

Did anyone see this coming?

I didn't. I have the toolbar that tells me the rank of every blog I visit, and I was on my kids blog and it said 2. I went to ppp, and sure enough, it's a two. The bigger shock was that this blog is now a 3.

I was doing my little happy dance.

How did your blog do?

I Want My Lawn Back

I miss my old yard. We used to live in a house situated on an acre of land. I loved mowing the grass there. I would put my mp3 on, and for two hours I would ride around on the mower, singing at the top of my lungs. I didn't have to worry about anything except the grass. I found it almost therapeutic. There was nothing more relaxing, except maybe when I floated around in the pool on my mat.

When we moved here last year, our grass here was green and beautiful. But then Junior started parking on it, and during the winter, the grass dies. I now have huge brown patches of mud throughout my yard, and I no longer look forward to mowing the grass. Our lawn needs some serious work, and I want to start with ringer lawn restore. This fertilizer is organic, totally free of harmful chemicals. This is important to me because of the outside cats, and also because my kids are always playing outside. I am hoping that I can get my lawn back to the beautiful healthy green it used to be.

Then I need to convince Junior to stop driving on it, and park in the driveway.

My Farm

Here's a picture of my farm. If you are not on Facebook yet, you should be. If you are on Facebook, you should find me. I am having so much fun playing this game. I should be sleeping, or dropping ecards, but instead, I am waiting on my sunflowers to be ready to harvest so my new friend Bubba can do it before he goes to bed.

Yeah, I know.

Clothes For Us Big Girls

It is no secret that I am a big girl. I haven't always been like this. In fact, there was a time before having kids that I liked to get dressed up sometimes. I used to wear cute tops and skirts, but that was a long time ago. Now that I am on the bigger side, I find it hard to find clothes that are cute and that look good.

I did find a really great site called plussizefix.com. I found that shirt and skirt on their site, and I love them. I love the colors of the top. Black and Purple are my two favorite colors, as most of you know. I like the way the top looks paired with that cute little denim skirt. You can find them both if you click here. This site is easy to navigate, and I love that they only have plus sized clothes. I hate when I am on a site and I find something cute, only to find out it doesn't come in my size. It's great to know that anything I see here is available for me to fit in.

It's been a lot more fun to shop since my breast reduction, too. I can buy "normal" shirts that fit me right. I think that top in the picture will look great on me, even without the skirt. I may have to talk my husband into buying it for me.

In A Pickle

You all know how much I love playing games. Online, board games, yahtzee, cards...it doesn't matter, I love them all.

My mom bought this new game called In A Pickle. It took us a while to figure out how to play, but now that we have the hang of it, it's fun to play. We taught Kasi how to play yesterday, and she picked it up pretty quick.

Basically, you are given cards with words on them, and you have to add your card to the series as something bigger or smaller then the word that is down. Confused? Yeah, we were too!

Trust me...you have to use your brain and get creative, but it's lots of fun.

Looking Good While Pregnant

I have two sisters who are pregnant. My sister Tami is due in September, and my sister Colleen is due in November. They are both pretty thin, and are able to wear the cutest Maternity Clothes. I remember when I was pregnant, I was so big nothing looked good on me, and I was always uncomfortable. They also didn't have these cute Hooter Hiders when I had infants. The one in the picture actually matches the bedding in Colleen's nursery. She nursed her first son, and I am pretty sure that she plans to nurse this one, too. I think she would love this.

Tami is having a hard time finding Nursery Ideas that she likes. She knows she is having a boy, and it's her third, so she feels like she's been there, done that with every idea she sees. I think she is leaning towards a sports theme, but with her, you never know. She changes her mind every other day. I just hope that whatever she decides, I can crochet a blanket to match.

Oh, This Is Bad

I can not stop playing Farm Town. It's crazy, I know. My mom started all this, and she told me a secret the other day. If you hire people to harvest your crops, you get more money for them. If you get a job to harvest someone's crops, you can make LOADS of money. When I woke up this morning, I had 8,000 coins, because I spent 50,000 yesterday buying more land. Right now I have over 80,000, just from working on other people's farms. This is why I am not blogging. I am too busy playing.

Is it time for an intervention?

Unlikely Vacation Place

Thailand.

Not a place that would jump out to me as a vacation spot.

Until today.

I can not believe the amount of things there are to do there, most at really amazing prices. You can find cheap flights to Bangkok and be on your way. I have read that they have some of the best hotels in the world, and that they have amazing spas. These spas offer every kind of massage imaginable, and all at a great price. There are golf courses for the guys, and world class cinemas for us girls. These theaters are said to have lounge like sitting, where you can comfortable watch a movie while drinking and eating snacks. These theaters hold between twenty and forty people, making it an intimate experience. I think it sounds pretty cool.

The one thing I would not want to miss is the Snake Farm. This snake farm produces a large amount of anti-venon, and from what I read, they put on an amazing show with the snakes. I know my husband and son would love this, and the girls and I would probably enjoy it too. We could also visit Crocodile Farm where we can throw chicken to the crocodiles and watch them eat. They also have the crazy man who puts his head in the crocodiles mouth. I would love to see that!

These are only a few things to do while in Bangkok. I haven't even mentioned the food or the bars. I would definitely have fun vacationing here, so I guess I should start saving my money.

Hancock

I love Will Smith. I don't think I've ever seen a movie he was in and not liked it. This one was great.

Hancock ( Will Smith), an unconventional superhero, is hated by the public. He is a drunk who saves lives, not caring about the damage he leaves in his path. He saves Ray's (
Jason Bateman ) life, who just happens to be a PR guy. Ray decides to thank him by giving his image a makeover. Ray's wife (Charlize Theron ) is less than thrilled with this idea, and towards the end of the movie we learn why.

This was one of those movies where I was crying by the end. It was sooooo good. The next movie on my list by him is Seven Pounds. Hopefully I can watch that one soon.

Know Your Surgeon

I never thought that I would be one of those women who had plastic surgery. Even though mine was medically necessary, they still considered it plastic surgery. I don't regret my decision to have it done at all, but I hope to never have to go through that again. I don't know if it just me, or the type of surgery I had, but it was a tough recovery. I had a couple hundred stitches, and it was a long time before I could lay in my bed. Then when I could get into my bed, it hurt so bad to have to get out. Luckily, these things eventually passed, and I feel great now.

I know there are women out there, and men too, who have plastic surgery done all the time. My sister's friend had rhinoplasty, and she looks great now. Her decision to have it done was completely cosmetic.

My advice to anyone considering breast augmentation like I had, or plastic surgery of any kind, is to research what you are having done. Know as much as you can, and find the best surgeon for what you want done. There are Los Angeles plastic surgeons who are great at what they do, and I am sure you can find a local surgeon just as well qualified. Ask to see pictures, so you can judge their work. I was lucky enough to have found a wonderful surgeon, and I could not be happier with my results.

Tummy Troubles

Both girls are home from school today. They both had really bad stomach aches last night, and didn't sleep at all. They are feeling a little better this morning, but I didn't want to take any chances. I was hoping they would sleep later, but that didn't happen.

Maybe I can talk them into a nap later....

Dating Then And Now

Junior and I have been doing great in therapy. We have started going every other week instead of every week, and it seems to be working well. I really like our therapist. She is young, and she makes Junior look at things from a different perspective. She asked us how we met recently, and it was fun to share the story with someone who had never heard it before.

It got me wondering if we would have met on our own. People believe in fate, and maybe Junior and I were fated to be together. If Joy hadn't introduced us, maybe we would have met another way. Online dating services weren't popular back then, and neither were chat rooms. It's not like these days where you can hop online and join free jewish chat rooms to find your soul mate. Fifteen years ago, it was eight hundred numbers. No, I never called one. I'm just saying that times were so different, even though it was not that long ago.

I am just so glad I have Junior, and that we are happy. I hope I never have to date again. It's too hard. Plus, I would have to stop telling the story of how we met, and I like that story.

I Watched

Jon and Kate just ended, and I was in tears at the end. I know, pretty cheesy. It was weird, after watching them interact for years, to see the tension between them at the birthday party. It has to be hard enough to be going through something like this without doing it in front of the cameras. I think it's time to call it quits with the show, and work on the relationship. If it ends, Kate can came back as Kate and Eight, or something. I just think they should step away for a while.

That's just my opinion.

Water Plus Music Equals Fun

I have found the coolest thing at sunwavesports.com. It is the Swimp3, a waterproof MP3 player. This would be perfect for swimming laps in a pool. Usually I just let my mind wander, but I would love to listen to my favorite tunes. Oh, and I bet this would be great to use when surfing, too. I love the thought of being able to combine two of my favorite things, water and music.

You can check out their selection of women's swimwear, too. They have the neatest swim parkas, too, for those who like to swim in cold weather. These are designed to keep you cozy warm, while keeping the water out.

Tonight On TLC

The season premiere of Jon and Kate Plus Eight in on tonight. I have heard that it is going to be a little he said she said. My sister said they don't even sit together for the interview.

I don't know what's going on with them. I read an article in People where she gave her side of the story, and basically said she didn't really believe him when he said he didn't cheat.

Did she cheat?

Is it really that big a deal? Not the cheating part, but that all of America is obsessed with this and taking sides.

If they are that unhappy, stop doing the show. Problem solved. I know I wouldn't want to be airing my dirty laundry on television.

Getting Out Of Debt

Junior and I have had problems in the past with our credit. There was a time when we owed more money than we were bringing in. We thought about Debt Negotiation, and actually went and talked to someone about filing bankruptcy. We were advised that because we owned less then $5,000, bankruptcy was not a good option for us, because it would cost too much in lawyer fees and court costs. We just had to rein in our spending, and eventually we were making progress towards paying everything off. Unfortunately, our credit rating suffered. It had taken us years, but we are finally getting it back up. It's no where near where we would like it, but it is also not where it was.

We looked into Debt Relief and were surprised at how helpful people can be. They were willing to negotiate our credit card debt, and work out settlement payments, which could have saved us tons of money. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough credit card debt to warrant these services. This was also many years ago, and nowadays, these companies are more than willing to assist everyone in becoming debt free.

With Debt Reduction you can pay off your debts in lower amounts, and with convenient payments. Of course, your credit rating may be negatively impacted for a while, but if you have bad credit to begin with, it makes sense to take positive steps towards reducing your debt. Your credit rating will improve once your debts are paid, so it is worth it in the end.

Funky Elephant

I was playing around on picnik, and made this elephant picture look a little funky. This is one of the shots from our trip to The Greenville Zoo. I used about six different effects on the picture. I know "sketch" was one of them. I used cinema scope and posterize, too. I love playing around on there.

Oops!

Yesterday, I wanted corn on the cob. I just wanted to run to Walmart because they had them 4/$1.00, but Junior didn't want to drive that far. He just wanted to run to one of the local produce stands.

We went to our favorite one, but they were out of corn. Imagine that, out of corn on a Holiday weekend. There was a different stand between that one and our house, so we stopped there. They had pre-shucked corn bagged in the cooler, so I grabbed two bags, which was ten ears of corn. There was no price, so when the girl rung it up, I was shocked when she said six dollars. I should have said right there to forget it, but I really wanted corn.

She swiped my debit card, but the machine was out of ink. The owner came over, and after pressing all the buttons, she swiped the card again, thinking it didn't go through. The other girl said it went through twice, so she refunded six dollars back to my card. I had no idea what they did, but i signed the paper, and left.

As soon as we were in the car, I looked at Junior and told him I was going online when we got home, because my bank has instant access, and I could see exactly what they did. I checked as soon as I walked in the door, and sure enough, they had charged me three times, but only refunded one charge back to the card. Of course, my printer has no ink, so I took a picture of my screen with my camera, and off we went. I was so mad that I just locked and shut the front door, not realizing that Junior didn't grab his keys. I wish we had called a Scottsdale Locksmith but Junior was impatient, so he broke into the house. He broke my doorknob in the process, but we were on our way soon enough.

I walked back into the produce stand, and told the lady that she had charged me three times, and only refunded one. I told her I could show her on my bank statement, and handed her my card. She didn't look at my camera; she just opened the cash drawer and handed me six dollars. I stood there for a second, and VERY rudely she says to me, "that's what I owe you, right?". I said yes, and before I could say anything else, she says, "what else do you want?". I, very calmly, said I wanted my debit card back. She just grunted, and gave it back to me. I have no idea why she was angry with me, when I was a s nice as could be pointing out THEIR mistake.

I will never go back there, no matter how badly I want corn on the cob.

Lazy, Lazy Day

It rained almost all day today. I wanted to mow the grass, and that didn't happen. We wanted to go fishing, but that didn't happen either. We did play a family game of rummy, and we watched a few movies. I hate days like this. I'm hoping tomorrow will be nicer. My mom and sister are coming over for a little cookout, and I hate grilling in the rain.

Drinking And Driving

My husband has this friend. I won't say his name, but I will tell you all about him. He is a father of three, and grandfather of two and a half. His youngest daughter just had a baby. She is only fifteen years old. His son is constantly in trouble in school, and spends more time suspended than in class. His oldest daughter is twenty, and has been discharged from the army, though I am not sure why. She is pregnant with her second child, whose father is the same as her first child, but not her husband. Did you follow all that?

I bet you're asking how this guy copes with all this? By drinking and smoking. The bad thing is that he drinks and drives. He has spent time in jail because of it, and has lost his license more than once. We live in South Carolina, and he lives right on the border of South and North Carolina. He likes to take his motorcycle and ride into North Carolina, and he has been stopped for DWI Durham. The local attorneys here wouldn't handle his case, so he had to hire a DWI Lawyer Durham. His license was suspended again for a few months, and he had to get SR22 car insurance. You would think that this would make him stop drinking and driving, but it doesn't. Just a few months ago he hit a tree. Luckily it was late at night, and no one else was around. He needs to be careful, because one of these days he is going to kill someone, and then he will need a lawyer for Criminal Offense Durham. I hope he straightens up before something tragic happens.

Deadliest Catch

Have you noticed the marathons running this weekend? There's the Deadliest Catch one on The Discovery Channel. Jon and Kate is one TLC all weekend. I know there were more but I can't remember right now. I can handle the Deadliest Catch, but after a while, Jon and Kate get on my nerves. What about you? What show can you watch over and over?

My Personal Paradise

I am addicted to my grill. I love the way the food tastes when it comes off, especially corn on the cob. I just shuck it, wrap it in foil with a little butter, and let it grill for a while. When you peel back the foil, the melted butter oozes out, and the corn is juicy and delicious. I have some on the grill right now, and am looking forward to eating it.

If we ever buy a house of our own, I will have to have Washington Remodeling come in and build us a back patio/porch/outdoor kitchen kind of area. I want a huge grill, set in the center of a long counter top. I want a working sink, with hot and cold water. I would love to have a mini fridge, and of course some working stove top burners. I want this all set on a huge patio, where I will also have a nice sized steel table and chairs, padded with black and white cushions. We will have a fire pit on one side of the patio, and the other size will lead you right into our in ground pool, complete with slide and diving board.

Doesn't sound like too much to ask for, right?

Flowers, Beautiful Flowers

There's my first zucchini flower. I was so excited to see that this morning.
Below is my first cucumber flower. I hope that both plants produce lots of veggies.
We love our veggies around here.

Health Insurance

I have been thinking lately that I really need to go get a physical. I know I am overweight, and extremely out of shape. I have tried diet after diet, but nothing seems to stick with me. I need to have some blood work done to make sure it's not something like my thyroid. As awful as that would be, at least it would be a reason for my weight. I also think Junior and I both need to have our blood sugar levels checked. I had gestational diabetes with Kasi, so I am worried I might be developing the real thing.

The problem with all of this is that we do not have health insurance right now. We used to go to the free clinic, but we need to be re certified, and haven;t had a chance to go down there. They also sent out a letter saying they are overwhelmed with patients, so they may not approve us again. I need to look into kaiser insurance and get a quote. We can not afford too much of a monthly payment, but I know we have to do something. I found kaiser California online, but think I may need to look into something closer to home. I also found kaiser permanente atlanta Georgia and that is a lot closer to me. I hope they can give us a policy we can afford, because we can not continue to be uninsured.

The Other Boleyn Girl

I have been wanting to see this movie for a while now. I love showtime's The Tudors, and thought I knew this story well. Most of the things were familiar to me, but there was one little fact that never came up on The Tudor's, and I'll get to that in a second.

We all know that Henry VIII (Eric Bana ) had many wives. The first was Catherine (Ana Torrent ) but he grew unhappy with her when she couldn't give him a son. Enter the boleyn sisters, Mary ( Scarlett Johansson) and Anne ( Natalie Portman). Mary becomes the kings mistress while married to another man. In the movie, she gives birth to the kings son. On The Tudor's, this was never mentioned. (I checked online, and history says Mary may have given birth to the kings son) While she is giving birth, Anne makes the king decide that in order to be with her, he must never speak to Mary again. We all know he chose Anne, and that it doesn't end well. If you want to know the rest, watch the movie, or go read a history book. :)

Mens Makeup?

I am going to be honest with you right now. When I heard about mens makeup, the first thought I had was that it was for men who are on television. I know stars rely heavily on makeup so that the camera lights don't drown them out. I was a little surprised to learn that everyday men are using it now. I have a brother-in-law who I could see using something like this. He is very concerned with his looks and appearance, which isn't a bad thing. I think my sister refers to him as a metrosexual. He is a professional, and looking good helps with his business.



These are concealer sticks and they come in seventeen different shades. They are pretty much the same as what women use to hide blemishes and scars, among other things. If you think about it, I guess it's only fair that men be able to make themselves look their best. Using mens cosmetics when going clubbing or to the prom may help boost a guys self-confidence.

That being said, I just can not see myself with a guy who puts that much effort into his appearance. I'm not saying I want to be with a total slob, but I just don't want to be with someone that vain. It could also be that I never wear makeup, so I wouldn't want my husband to. I'm not sure, I just think it's a little weird.

What do you think?

New Number

I had my phone number changed yesterday. When we moved, the number they gave me was apparently used fairly recently by a woman who didn't pay a bill in her life. I started getting calls from collection agencies, and at first, I just said they had the wrong number.

But they continued to call.

A couple of weeks ago, I had one man call me around 8:30pm, and when I told him I wasn't "Betty", he flat out accused me of lying. I told him to call information, give them the number, and see what name came up. I told him it would be mine. Then he started with the "well, do you know where Betty is or how I can get in touch with her.

How would I know that?

Then he started acting all nice and telling me the company he was calling from, and "how was my day so far?"

I was very frustrated at this point, so I just said it was fine until I got a phone call from an asswipe. Then I hung up.

Yeah, not very ladylike, I admit. About an hour later, he calls back, and asks for me by name. Then he says, "well, since I'm an asswipe, I guess I'll act like one, and keep calling you back".

Professional, right?

I call the number that came up on my caller ID, and it's him. I ask to speak to his supervisor, and he says, "sure, how many would you like to speak to?", and then hung up on me. I went online and tried to find the name of the business from the number, but I couldn't. So for the past two weeks, he has been calling. He'll ask for "betty", and when I say he has the wrong number, he says, "OH, that's right". and hangs up on me. Okay, can you say total asswipe?

Yesterday I had enough, and had my number changed. To a private number.

Maybe now this guy will leave me alone.

It's Moving Time

I don't remember if I wrote about my sister putting her house up for sale. I think it was a couple of months ago that her and her husband decided to try and sell their house. It was on the market for just a month or so before it sold. She is now in the process of packing for the move, and looking for a new house to buy. The house they are in now has a Diesel Generator, and I am pretty sure they are going to want to have one at whatever house they move to as well. With a two year old and another baby on the way, it's always good to be prepared for power outages. Living in the South, we get bad ice storms, and your power could be out for days at a time. Junior and I have looked into Diesel Generators too, but don't want to buy anything permanent, because we just rent here. They do have Towable Diesel Generators which would probably be perfect for us, that way we could easily take it with us if we moved. We don't plan on moving any time soon, but it's always good to be ready for the future, and I am hoping that someday, we can buy a house of our own.

The Strangers

I love a good scary movie. Blood and gore are great. The more outlandish the plot, the better. I'll take monsters and vampires any day.

There has only been one movie that literally scares me to death.

Halloween.

Why? Because the original Halloween can actually happen. Home with kids, deranged stranger stalking and terrifying you. I hate the part where she looks out the window, and he is standing by the tree across the street, and then a second later he is gone. I get the heebie geebies just thinking about it.

That said, I should have known better than to watch a movie about a couple who are terrorized during a home invasion. It had the same suspense moments as Halloween, and I am totally going to have nightmares about it. It stars Kristen (Liv Tyler ) and James ( Scott Speedman) as a young couple who arrive "home" in the early hours of the morning, only to be terrorized by three strangers in masks who relentlessly try to kill them. I know, it doesn't sound too scary, but trust me, I am so glad it was light out when I watched it.

The Blahs

I have been so lazy this morning. I should be folding the five loads of laundry that are thrown on my love seat, but instead, I am on this computer. I am also watching a movie, called The Strangers, and it's pretty good. I'll probably do a review soon enough. I need to go weed the garden a little, and maybe water it before it gets too hot today. At least I don't have to look up Small Business Loans. I don't think I'd have the patience for that today. In fact, I think it will take a small miracle to get me to do anything.

It's just one of those days.

Brandi Rose

All I did was ask for a smile this morning, and this is what I got. Do you think she's tired of me taking her picture?

I can't believe she's going to be in second grade next year. She's my baby. She's not supposed to be growing up.

Finding A New Bank

Junior and I have a checking account at a bank that specializes in giving people a second chance. We hadn't had a bank account in a while, and now that we have this one, we can build up our "bank rating". Basically, if we don't bounce anything in a year, we can go to a "real" bank and transfer our account over.

This summer, it will be a year, and we've yet to bounce a check. This means I need to start looking into banks. I don't know much about cd rates or interest rates, so I have a lot of research to do.

I better get on it, too.

Twitter

I have decided to give Twitter another try. I signed up months ago, and never really "got" it. I now realize that you can follow some pretty cool people, and find out some pretty cool stuff. Businesses and celebrities are all twittering now. My local news anchors even do it. Maybe I've been missing something by avoiding it?

We'll see.

A Place Of His Own

Ryan has dreams of building a shed for himself in the yard. He wants it to function like a little house, with doors and windows. He keeps saying it will be a place where I can go and do my wood crafts, too. He wants to build a workbench, and have it to where I can use all of tools easily. Of course, this means that the shed will need power run to it.

I can do a lot of things myself, but electrical things are not on that list. I will be better off calling in a Phoenix Electrician to do the work, so I don't have to worry about the outlets overheating and burning the shed down. That would not be a good thing.

Of course, I would have to share this shed with Ryan. He has a long list of things he wants in there, like a couch and a television. He says he needs a place to go and play playstation without being interrupted. I find this kind of funny coming out of his mouth, since he is the only one in this apartment who has his own room. If anyone needs a sanctuary away from all the noise, it's poor Junior. He doesn't even have a room. He sleeps on the couch. But, before you start feeling bad for him, he likes sleeping there. I have offered to get a bed for him, but he says the couch is better for his back.

To each his own, I guess.

Back On Facebook

I let Kasi have a new account on facebook. She asked me yesterday if she has shown herself to be responsible enough to have it back, and I asked her what she has done to prove she has. She listed a bunch of valid reasons, so I signed her back up last night. I think she realizes that what she did was wring, and that she won't do it again.

I am also not telling her the password to her account. I will log her in when she wants to play.

Just to be sure....

Birthday Money

Kasi racked up quite a bit of money at her party on Saturday. She walked away with $80 in cash, not counting the gift cards she got. She already spent her Walmart one on a jacket and a pair of sneakers, and she wants to spend some of the rest of her money on more Shoes. The sneakers she just bought are cute enough, but they were cheap, which means they will fall apart pretty quickly. I would like for her to invest in a good pair of sneakers so they will last. I know my sister loves Stride Rite Shoes, but I don't think they carry shoes in her size. Her feet are as big as mine these days. She is wearing a size 6 in women's shoes.

Kasi was looking at Converse Shoes online and found this really cute pink pair. They are not my style, that's for sure, but when you are twelve, I guess you can pull them off. Now, if they were purple, I might consider getting myself a pair.

I won't mind if Kasi ends up buying these shoes, because I know they will last a while. I would rather her spend more on a pair of shoes I know she will get some wear out of, instead of constantly spending money on cheap shoes that fall apart in a few weeks.

What????

I guess the management company didn't catch the dog outside yesterday. I was really ticked when I went to take the kids to the bus stop this morning and it was outside. I am really getting tired of this. I am about at the point where I don't care if they tell our neighbors we called on them, as long as it gets this dog fenced in, or at least chained where it can not get to me or my kids. Junior wants to call animal control, which will be our next step. I will give the management company until next week to do something.

My Kitchen Sink

I am having the worst luck with my kitchen sink. Do you remember a few months ago when the hot water pipe burst? Junior fixed it himself, but he only put a temporary fix on it Yesterday, it started leaking again. This time, it's just a slow drip, and not a major flood. We have yet another call into the management company, and they said they would send someone out tomorrow. I hope it's someone from Salt Lake City Plumbing who knows what he's doing.

Speaking of the management company, they still haven't come out about the dog next door. I think the girl went back to work, because she was gone all morning. But as soon as she got home this afternoon, she booted the dog out the door. This was right around the time I was getting Brandi off the bus, so as I was waiting, I watched the dog go in my yard and poop. I was so mad. When we were walking past her door, the neighbor was standing outside smoking. I told Brandi, very loudly, to watch out for the poop. She asked where it was, and I said it was everywhere. I hope the girl took the hint, but I doubt it. Hopefully when they come out to look at my sink they will see the dog.

Teacher Appreciation Gift

It's that time of year again where I try to come up with something creative to give the kids bus driver and teacher a little something to thank them for another great year. I will only give a gift to Brandi's teacher. The older kids will write thank you cards for their teachers. So I just have to come up with something for one teacher and the bus driver. I love their bus driver. She has had them since they started at this school six years ago. I want to make something, but have no idea what. Anyone have any ideas?

Movie Nights Are Fun

I love watching movies. Junior doesn't. This means that I never get to see the great movies in the theaters unless I go with my sisters. The last movie I saw in the theater was Monsters Versus Aliens in 3D. I only got to see that because I tagged along to a birthday party Brandi went to.

This means that if I want to see a movie, I have to rent it. My cable company offers rentals, but the just released movies are so expensive, and you only get to watch it for 24 hours. Sometimes, if a movie is really good, I like to watch it a few times. I was looking into BLOCKBUSTER, and their online program sounds promising. The one thing I really like is that they give you the option of exchanging your movies at a local store if you forget to mail back a movie you have already watched. This comes in handy when you forget on a Friday morning that you planned your weekly movie night with the family, and all you have is last weeks movie.

I love doing movie night at my house. I like watching with Kasi best, because we have the same taste in movies, the scarier the better. She can watch just about any scary movie without having nightmares. There was one movie that did give her nightmares though, and that was Sweeny Todd. I think it's pretty funny that she can watch monsters and horror flicks, but a barber slitting throats gives her the willies. Go figure.

Ingles

I had to get toilet paper today, which meant a trip to Ingles. This is where that woman was so rude to me yesterday. You can read about that here. As soon as we walked in, the guy manager we spoke to yesterday came over, and apologized again for what happened. I couldn't even look him in the eyes. I am beyond embarrassed that I had to tell him what happened, which meant telling him about my reduction. He told Junior and I that he spoke to the woman, and then HIS boss spoke to the woman, and if she EVER treats me with rudeness or attitude again, I am to go directly to him, and he will take care of it. He is so nice, but I am still so embarrassed. She wasn't there today, so I didn't have to worry about it. I jusy dread the next time I see her.

New Shoes For Everyone

I hate shopping. I don't know why, but the thought of having to go to the mall and fight through the crowds makes me queasy. I haven't always been like this, and I'm not sure what happened that made me this way. I would much rather stay home, and shop online. There are no lines, no hassles, and no rude people to deal with.

I have a problem right now, though, because I need new Shoes to wear to church. It has taken me years to convince Junior to go to church, and I don't want the need for new shoes to stop us from going. Junior needs new Mens Shoes , too, and luckily I found somewhere to get shoes for both of us. I can get free shipping on most items, and they give a 75 day money back guarantee. That means if I get them delivered and they don't fit, I can send them back.

I was also looking at their Skechers Shoes for Kasi. She has reached that age where it is important to look good, and that includes what she has on her feet. I am just hoping that she doesn't start asking for designer jeans. I hate to tell her no, but there's no way I can afford to buy her a $100 pair of jeans. I think that is ridiculous.

First Supper On The Grill This Year

You're drooling, right?
I have corn on the cob, bbq chicken with pineapple, and steak grilling away right now.
It smells sooooo good!
We usually grill a lot during the summer, because it keeps the house cool.
And, of course, it tastes delicious!

Protecting My Identity

The first time I heard about Lifelock was on the Celebrity Apprentice. The team Joan Rivers was on did an amazing presentation, with each played coming out and saying they were her. They did a great job showcasing the product, which should be obvious since I remembered it, and I never remember anything.

The scary thing is that identity theft is becoming a common crime. It is so easy for people to get access to all your private information, especially from your computer. Lifelock protects your credit, by having you be contacted before any new credit cards are issued. They keep your name off the pre-approved credit card lists, which makes it a little harder for someone to get credit in your name. These are just a couple of the things they do to keep your identity safe. I know I want to do whatever I can to keep my identity safe, and you should to.

My Kids

I took this picture of the kids a couple of weeks ago. They were at the bus stop, waiting on the bus. Yea, it really was that dark out. It's lighter in the mornings now, and a lot warmer, too. I love this time of year. When we lived in the old house, this was my favorite time to walk. I still haven't found a good place to walk here. The roads are too narrow and busy for me to feel comfortable walking. Once school is out in two weeks, we are going to start going to the park everyday when Junior gets home from work so we can walk and the kids can play. I am really looking forward to it.

The Good And The Bad

I have been thinking lately that I want to move. I am tired of the leaky roof. I am even more tired of our neighbors and their stupid dog. I hate that we only have two bedrooms for the five of us, and I am tired of having no privacy. The best option would be to move to some place bigger, but as much as I am thinking about it, I am not sure if it is a good idea at this point.

The kids are happy here. Ryan loves that he has the creek to fish in whenever he wants. The girls love our big front yard where they can ride their bikes and play outside. We could solve our bedroom problem by having a Wichita Remodeling company come in and give us an estimate on putting up a wall in the girls bedroom. It would at least give them each a little privacy, and their own space for all their posters.

Today we were in Walmart, and Brandi was complaining about how all her bedroom stuff is Dora. She's had it for a couple of years, and thinks she has outgrown it. She wants all new Hannah Montana and HSM stuff. She's only seven! I need her to not grow up. She's my last baby.

Dirty Joke = Soap + Mouth

Last night, Kasi told Ryan a joke she heard in school.

She told him in front of Junior.

Junior was floored, and told her she had to tell it to me when I came out of the bathroom.

She did, and I didn't know what to say, other than that I NEVER wanted to hear it come out of her mouth again.

I don't know how it happened, but my kids seem to think they can tell Junior and I everything, and while that is a very good thing, there are some things I just don't want to know. Like the dirty jokes they hear at school.

I've been a teenager. I know what teenagers are like.

I just don't want to hear about it.

You want to know the joke, don't you?

Well, I'll email it to you if you want.

New Hours

Junior is finally adjusting to working his new hours. It's a little hard on me having to get him up at 3am, but school will be out in two weeks, so it will all work out. The only problem he is having is with his feet. He is standing now, instead of walking around. I know, what's the difference? He says there is a difference, and he is looking into getting a pair of work boots to help with his posture. He is leaning over and bending more now, and even though it's hard on his back, it's not a bad as lifting lumber eight hours a day. Besides, he says it's worth it to have weekends off.

Rudeness

I just got back from the grocery store, and I am just beside myself. I don't know if you would remember this, but right after I had my surgery, we went into this store and the manager told me I looked funny with my new boobs. I never did complain about her, though, and now I wish I had.

This manager was bagging my groceries, and Junior had walked down a few aisles trying to find boo a candy bar she wanted. This woman looks at me and asks if I was still happy with my decision to have the reduction.

I said yes, it was the best decision I had ever made.

Now, had she stopped talking there, I would have been okay. The cashier is a young girl we know well, because we are in the store almost every day.

Then the manager says to me...

I bet your husband doesn't think so.

What the crap? I was so embarrassed. She said this in front of other customers and the cashier. By the time Junior had come back, she was bagging at another register. I told him what she said, and he told me to wait by the door, and off he went. He came back with the store manager, and I had to tell him what she said. I think he was more embarrassed than I was. I told him I didn't mind discussing my surgery, but her reference to Junior crossed the line. He agreed, and said he wasn't comfortable handling it himself, so he was going to let his boss talk to her.

I hope they make her realize that some things just aren't okay to say.

Win Ten Grand!

I love Charter's On Demand service. For those of you not familiar with this, it's where Charter subscribers can watch tons of movies and programs for free, anytime they want. For me, because I subscribe to all the premium movie channels, I can watch the movies on those channels any time I want to. Last night I watched Get Smart, and I am looking forward to watching Fred Claus with the kids. You can also rent movies for twenty four hours, and watch it as many times as you want. They actually just put Bride Wars and bedtime Stories on there, and I am dying to watch them both.

This month, Charter is giving away money and televisions. All you have to do is go to their Win 10 Grand Contest Page and answer a few simple questions about their On Demand service, and you are entered into the contest. Every week on lucky winner will win a 52” Sony Bravia HDTV. Nice, right? I would love to win one of those. You will also be entered into their drawing for the ten thousand dollar grand prize. Make sure you go and answer the questions every week. That will give you four chances at the ten grand. Charter is always giving away awesome prizes, like xbox's and free programming. They even gave away a car. If you're on Twitter and want to keep up with all the things they do, subscribe to Charter’s Twitter Feed.

I am on my way to answer some questions. You should be, too.

Romas

Look at how tall my tomato plant is! This one has a few tomatoes on it, and so far, they look like romas.

The other day at the party, the girls were using my garden as home base while playing tag. I stopped them real quick. I didn't want my poor little plants to get trampled.

House Painting

My sister is moving. She put her house up for sale a few weeks ago, and it sold already. Now she has to find somewhere to live. Her and her husband have been looking at houses, but I don't think they have found exactly what they are looking for yet. I know when they do find a house, she is going to want to decorate it the way she wants it. That means lots of painting, I'm sure. I know she will want to do Carson's room in blue, and the new baby's room is going to be brown, I think. She bought the cutest green and brown crib set, and will accent with either blue or pink, depending on what the baby is. She is determined not to find out until delivery, but we're all hoping she will change her mind. If she waits until after the baby is born, she will need to hire a Phoenix Painter because she won't have the time to do it herself. She's going to be so busy with the new baby, and adjusting to having two kids, she won't have time to do anything. Luckily I will be available to lend her a hand.