Yup, I was here again... The wedding dress is done, by the way. Rolana, I need your address to send you a Christmas card. Since I was rude enough not to send you a wedding invitation.....

Hi Rolana - I was here!

Hi everyone, I notice it is really quiet here the last couple days, are we taking turns or something? Maybe it is my turn. I haven't been up to much other than work which hasnt been much fun lately, mostly stressful. Only a few weeks left before the garden centre closes. Goes by fast doesn't it?

Well how is your wedding dress coming Andrene? I see Loretta and Charlene will be there, make sure you send them back we will miss them. Best wishes for your happiness go with them from all of us I am sure. Are you going to post some pics? Hopefully Loretta and Charlene will bring lots of them back with them.

My Mom got a clean bill of health from the oncologist, they believe they got all of the cancer. She has to go for check ups every four months for the next couple years of course. It was such a relief to hear they hadn't found any more.

Brit had to have her braces tightened today so she has a headache, it will be awhile yet before she gets them off apparantly. She got contacts this spring, she looks so grown up it is scary. She is taller than I am, and Greg is working on it. They grow up so fast, it is hard to figure where the time goes.

I am working on wedding dress bodice number two. I am also working on the house, and I just glued the drawers ot the desk together (they were all falling apart). This is lunch break. Lyle is teaching fire school tonight so I ahve a few extra hours to work on the house. Anyways, I have nothing exciting to say, and I have loads of stuff to do, so..later

This was my plan for the day - I lured myself out of bed at seven am with the promise of a half hour of computer time - It worked!
7:10 - 7:40 - comp, 7:40 - 8 - shower, 8 - 8:30 - sew (a bunch of ribbon flowers for my wedding dress so I have something to do (each one has to be hand gathered and tacked) between meetings), 8:30 to 9:30 - return phone calls for business, 9:30 - dress, 9:45 leave for flower mound - first meeting at ten, 4:15 - head home after last meeting, 4:30 - lay on couch and ignore phone, watch Oprah, 5:00 - make supper, 6:00 - plan everything that has to be done before wedding. However, at ten to 8, I am standing in the shower, and my cell phone rings (I use it to time ten minute increments to do my daily list in the morning), I look and it is Lyle. I answer it, and he asks me if I can come pick up Ashley from his work because he has been waiting for Nancy for twenty minutes and she hasn't shown up. So, I had to go get Ashley instead, and I ended up taking her to my first two meetings because her mother didn't call Lyle until after ten. She forgot. Can you frigging well imagine? The woman forgot her own child. Then she came to get her from me (Lyle refused when she asked if I could meet her half way) and Ashley cried because she didn't want to go with her. (Only because working with me is more fun.) Si then I got to feel like crap all day, and be pissed off at Nancy for doing that to her child. What is wrong with the people in this world?

lalalalaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
I have a busy day planned today, and I owe a couple of emails. I'll have to do that tonight. I went to bed with my hair wet, so I look like a fluffball. I am wearing shorts to work today! I have five meetings between ten and three thirty. How exciting! (sarcasm.) My legs are peeling from a sunburn two weeks ago and I can't stand the thought of wearing HOT pants again. We went boating yesterday afternoon and had a ball. I made one out of three bodices I am testing for my wedding dress. I needed a zipper, so we stopped at Wal-Mart on the way home. I have to stay home all day tomorrow waiting for the phone guy, so I will try to do a bit of sewing on my breaks. I want to fit the bodice I choose so it looks good on me. My timer just went off, shower time. Love you...
a

Used to be, Loretta talked to herself. Now I just talk to myself. I am sewing and reading email in 15 minute increments today, because I am in a BAD mood. Part of it is that Ashley and Lyle want to go out on the boat, but can't go without me (One to drive the boat off the trailer, one to park the truck and trailer) and I DO NOT WANT TO GO! I mean, I want to go , but I have so much to do that I would have a crappy time because I have to finish this bid for Le's nail salon and start Charles and Patti's shop and pool thing, and make the wedding dress. i am taking Wednesday off (When you worhk for yourself it is even harder to take time off) and my friend Cathy is coming over (unless she has jury duty, she goes in Tuesday but she thinks they will get rid of her first thing because she tells them there is no such thing as justice) and we are going to work on my dress. Lyle called some friends to see if anyone wanted to go with them this afternoon, but no one was home. I told him that was because normal people were at church. I am praying one of his friends will call back and say they are going. The guy we met with on Friday night wants to invest $100 000 in our business, but we have decided that is a bad idea. All we want is a line of credit. If he invests, he owns a large part of the business and we pay him part of the profits - that's why I left Royal Seal, because someone else got most of the profit. And soomething just felt wrong. He did say that he would look at helping us out with a line of credit if that was what we decided we wanted to do, but he didn't sound like he really wanted to. Oh well, I have time because the insurance is still not set up yet.
Marianne called yesterday and she might come for the wedding!!! That is so cool!

I hate shoes!

I am supposed to be folding laundry, but I just helped Ashley do a successful five minute room rescue and felt so good at how good she felt that I had to share. I was also defrosting spaghetti sauce, wondered why the timer hadn;t rung and realized I had popped a breaker. I hate that microwave. Why would anyone care about that? Sorry I am so boring. ANYWAYS!

Lyle's Mom (BITCH! - although I can't say that out loud in real life) asked Lyle why her friend had gotten an invitation to the wedding and she hadn't, Luckily, I had given him an extra one the night before (stuck it in the fold of his wallet) because he thought he was going to see a friend he wanted to invite. He gave it to her. She was mad because I didn't mail her one. He said - "well, aren't you part of this whole thing? You know when it is...". Had I mailed her one, it would have been "What, I am not close enough family that you couldn't just give me one?" GRRR! BITCH! He saw them when he picked up Ashley from them - we were going to go see them tomorrow, but Lyle decided we weren't going to because
a) his father was supposed to marry us (he is a pastor) but decided not to and just told Lyle last night that he wasn't going to. Luckily, Lyle expected that and we had a Justice of the Peace on notice.b) he decided that he didn't want us to borrow their motor home. Now where will everyone sleep? They offered to let us use an air matress, but since we already have two fold out couches, we are out of floor space. I hate for anyone to have to go get hotels.

Thank God we don't have to go see them! I try so hard to be supportive of him and not tell hom his parents are assholes, but.... Jeez! Thanks for letting me rant.

I believe my desk is slanting away from me. Just a wierd thought. I Expressmailed (Like fedex) a package to Charlene yesterdat so that she could make the travel arrangemewnts for Loretta and her. Then, if the kids come back the day before she is scheduled to leave, she can reschedule the tickets. Luckily, Southwest is super flexible and will let you change anything pretty much at any time. I have tons of work to do today, but I got so frustrated atthe guy from the phone company was a total idiot, I thought I had better switch gears for a while until I settled down. I ordered my second phone line on the conputer, which was what I should have done in the first place. In a good note, Lyle found a potential investor for our company, we are having dinner with him and his wife tomorrow night. Every body pray for the best!
Love you,
a

I saved the computer! Don't be too impressed, all I did was turn it back on, and strangely, it worked. I am NOT going to try to reinstall that printer. I called Charlene this morning, and found out her sad news. I wish there was something I could do!

I can't save anything because I can't get into the computer! It crashes when I turn it on. :( Yes, Nancy wanted to home schooL Ashley, she did home school her for kindergarten, and Ashley hated it, for a while she wouldn't even color because she thought she wasn't good enough at it. Since Nancy works full time, she gave "lesson plans" to Lyle's Mom, who is NOT a disciplinarian and didn't want to do it. Rather than say no to Nancy, she did it, but was resentful, and when Ashley whined about not wanting to do a lesson, Grandma gave in. If Lyle's Mom had been on Nancy's side on that one, we would have had to go to court to have her put in school, as it was we had to get a lawyer to write her a letter. Adventist School is a school that is part of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Adventists (lyle's parents and ex wife) believe that his woman who lived in the late 1800's was a prophet, and anything she says is more sacred than the bible. They are vegetarians and they go to church on Saturdays, instead of Sundays. They have other odd stuff too, Lyle says it was more rigid when he was a kid.

They have a reading program at the library, but we only have Ashley for three weeks in the summer, so it is hard to do a lot with her. Anyways, I hate talking about such depressing things. I hope I can fix this computer thing.

I broke my computer! I tried to install the new printer on it, and I seem to have angered it. Windows will not even start up, it just says I have a fatal OE exception. I restarted it like twenty times. If you reinstall windows, do you lose everything on your hard drive? I couldn't find the Compaq "rescue" disk, or the WIn 98 one, so I didn't try it. If I have to reinstall, I am going to install XP. I have a copy of it from Lyle's laptop (which I am currently on. I don't know if it is better or not, but I like using it. And I love the previews it gives you on pictures.) All in all, I unpacked two boxes of books, and cut out four bodices (all different) one of which may or may not become my wedding dress bodice, and broke the computer I was supposed to be setting up for my new business. Great day, all in all. (note the sarcasm.) Lyle came home two hours early, and he went out and got me a burger. I love that man. He is watching yet another rerun of lethal weapon. Wasn't MIB 2 awesome, retta? We had to see it in the theatre, we were so excited aboutn it. We also went to see Bruce Almighty Friday night, it was pretty good. I liked it a lot. It made me cry once, though. Lyle said it was because it was so real. I won't ruin it for you. Anyways, I'm off to bed, it is almost ten.
Night!!!

Well. Lyle gets along with his mother on the surface, but very superficially, he feels like since he got divorced from Nancy, they would rather keep Nancy than him. Mostlt it is because Beverly (Lyle's Mom) gets to see Ashley, and she always wanted a girl (Lyle says) so she would rathr give up her boy than "lose" her girl. Part of it I always thought was that the religion thing made it bad for him to have been divorced, but at Lyle's Dad's birthday he had kids there from two other marriages! One woman wouldn't come because she said that Ernie had nothing to do with her when she was growing up so why should she bother now. I was talking to Dawn, Lyle's niece who is ten days older then him, and she was saying that only the sons got to know him because they could work in the shop. I'd like to know more about why they never visited because it might help me to understand Lyle's mom better. Dawn and I are going to keep in touch via email. It might also explain why when Lyle insisted that Ashley go to real school, his mother sat there and cried that we were trying to take Ashley away from Nancy. I told her in no uncertain terms that I had no plans to have children, didn't want them, and only loved Ashley because she was part of Lyle, but didn't want her. Then she cried about me not wanting kids. So I told her I couldn't physically have kids, and reminded her about the twins we lost. She was all confused then, she couldn't accuse me of loving Ashley too little or too much. That accomplished little other than her telling Nancy she didn't want to be involved in things that were between Nancy and Lyle. That was a while ago. She is still mean to me, but I refuse to stoop to her level and I am always nice. When we leave I write down all the mean things she says so that I don't have to be mad about them anymore. Lyle's Dad is sweet, though, mostly.

When Ashley is at her Grandma's she calls him every day that we know she is there. (During the school week she is there every night because her Mom works nights as a nurse.) She never calls from Nancy's. If her school weren't two hours away from us, we could have her, but that is why Nancy moved to the outer edge of the county. She has to stay inside the county where Lyle works, but unfortuneately it is a big county. The only way she would put Ashley in school is if she went to an Adventist school, so she goes to a five room school house that does up to grade 8. So far it is hard to tell how she is doing, her marks are okay, but she still tells me she can't read, and hates to do it (at bedtime she has to read the first three pages, then I'll finish the book), and at the grocery store if she wanrs a treat, she can usually have it if she reads the box to me. (She cheats though, and guesses from the pictures! - she picked up cool cocoa spoons and thought it was cocoa puffs - it was cute). Her printing is atrocious. We bought practice books for her, but no one has been practicing with her but us. I'm not going to talk about that anymore - too depressing.

A pincushion is a great idea! I've never even learned to knit, so she won't learn that from me. I am so proud of Chuck! I hope it goes well for her. Remind her she is not behind, she just has to jump in where she is. I tried to call earlier but there was no answer. I needed to remember that this morning. I want to go out and scrapbook, just to get out of the house. But the house needs some projects done - the weekly cleaning is done, but I have a dress to make and books to unpack and tile to fix in the bathroom - lots of little honey dos. I am going to "clean" (meaning do projects) and sew in fifteen minute timer times, and let the sewing be the break for the projects. I have to move my other computer out into the new desk I made, out of Ashley's room. I keep thinking of new things I want to do. Yuck! Wish me luck - I'll update you on my progress.

The pics Mike sent were sweet. I am glad you're feeling better. My fifteen minures a day of blogger didn't work out as planned. I am caught up on my email, though. I did that last Thursday. On Friday I went to the Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington - there were 25,000 sf of scrapbook stuff. I have decided that I am going to start my own product line. I have a couple of ideas, and I am really excited. I am going to focus on the construction business first, because it is bigger money faster, but so far it seems like the start up costs for insuarnce and all are also bigger money needed faster. The Small Business people were no help at all - she was actually quite depressing. She even emailed me an apology for being so depressing! Then at that conference I found a scrapbooking company that is both Canadian and American, I have been thinking about being a consultant for them, like Jessie does with C & M. I love to scrapbook, so this might be really fun. I met this sweet lady who started her own scrapbooking company and she was telling me all about how she started - she designed six different papers. That was it. And she started selling them at tradeshows. Then she added little things one at a time, and she and her sister have both quit their jobs to do this full time.

We have had Ashley since last Friday. We found out that her mother had dropped her off at Lyle's grandmother on Wednesday of last week, and since they had so much company for Lyle's Dad's 80th birthday, Ashley had to sleep on the floor. Ashley's Mom had picked her up at three o'clock on Friday, just in time to meet me to drop her off at five. Lyle's Mom often has Ashley, but we don't know about it, so we don't have the opportunity to have her. I feel bad for Lyle because it is like his Mom and his ex-wife conspire against him. Lyle's Mom was telling Lyle's aunt that she would have Ashley until Thursday, when Nancy was leaving for Michigan, and I was so proud of him, he jumped right in and said - "Wait, if Nancy does not want to have her then I will, she's my daughter. We'll keep her until then." Lyle's Mom just looked at him, all shocked. He called Nancy on Sunday, and left a message on her cell phone, and she called him back on Tuesday. I wish they would get along better, because Ashley always wants to call her Mom before she goes to bed and Nancy never answers when she sees our number. The saddest part is that Ashley knows it, because when I got the new cell phone she wanted to call on it because it was a new number "Mommy doesn't know", and Nancy did answer that first call. I always tell her Mommy must have gone to the bathroom or run to the mailbox or something, but she just looks at me like I am nuts.

It is definitely true that having a kid in the house makes it harder to get stuff done. Instead of working for an hour at a time on tasks, we set up the timer for 45 minutes, and I would get Ashley started on a craft or a toy and play for fifteen minutes with her, then work for 45 on business stuff. She got really good at telling time on the timer,
and at thinking of new things to do. We meant to sew a Barbie dress and do a scrapbook page, but didn't get around to either. Part of that is because my "studio" where my craft stuff is, is overflowing with wedding stuff. I think I will get ready for both of those things ahead of time for her next visit. Well, maybe for the scrapbooking page, But I'd like her to figure out sewing the way Mom taught me, from the beginning. I still remember that library book from the library that had the Barbie patterns in it. I got her some patterns off ebay last year for her birthday. Her cutting skills are good enough now to cut out the patterns.

I have been trying to email Charlene my cool schedule that I have on the fridge for chores (I am a day ahead this week because Thursday is grocery day and I went yesterday while Ashley was with me, because she likes it.) but her mailbox is full. Bummer. I guess I'll have to mail her one...hey - that's a great idea! Of course, Monday being "I love Lyle day" (I changed that from Laundry day because there is no frigging way I am doing all my laundry in one day!) might not work for her, but...she can modify it. I'll email you a copy, whee. It is great - Each day has five or six chores, and that's it. And my zones are on the bottom, but I am not doing those consistently yet. A lot of them are hard because i DON'T HAVE THE ITEM IN QUESTION - I.E.the sink! I know, no excuses. I have started to do them while I am making supper - I am up and waiting on stuff to cook anyways between five and five-thirty. Anyways, love you all, talk to you soon. Glad you're feeling better whee.

HI! I am dropping in for the first tiem since I was in Mohannes - I am not caught up on my email yet, although I am almost there. I am only allowing myself 15 minutes of email time, twice a day, because I am on WAY too long otherwise, but i am going to switch to 15 email and fifteen blogger for a while now that I am almost caught up in emails. I have a meeting with the small business administration lady on Wednesday. This morning I spent two hours working on my business plan, and I just spent a half an hour reading tax law. On wednesday I am also going to go to the library to look for some "Starting a business for dummies" books, because I am surprised by the number of things I didn't know I had to do that I keep finding out about from unexpected places. Today is your dr appt, whee, hope you are feeling better. Rolana, I am so sorry I didn't get a chance to see ou while I was home. I was going tp drop in at the greenhouse on Monday but when we went downtown I forgot. The trip was a little stressful for me. I had a great time visiting though, I feel like I got to catch up with my sisters again - I had been feeling rather lonely. I wonder how Angie and Charlene are doing with their timers? Speaking of the timer, I have sixty seconds left! I have to check on supper, then edit a "how to study" document for Lyle. We have no tv, our cable is out, so it is surprisingly quiet today in my house. I tried on wedding gowns today, more on that later.

Hi everybody. I hope you are feeling better Loretta. I am so tired lately it is unbelievable. I have to work tomorrow and then I get two days off yeah!! The garden centre has been really busy so far. They have the bulldozers clearing the land for the new store I can't wait. My boss and his wife are telling me my greenhouse is going to be huge.

So what is everyone up too? Sorry I missed you when you were up Andrene. Maybe next time.

Well I haven't been doing much aside from working and at the moment it seems like more than enough. Anyone got any ideas on how to increase your energy level? Maybe I should take up a sport or something.

Right now I think I might just get something to eat take care everyone.

I am coming home tomorrow! I leave at seven am and I'll be there around 11pm or so, driving from Boston. I haven't started packing yet, but there are a lot of projects I have been trying to finish up lately. Today I have to organize my scrapbooking stuff, I am bringing home the pieces of wedding invitations so you guys can help me put them together. And doing a little laundry, and etc. Seems like every project I have done lately requires a trip to Home Depot, which takes time too. Hope you all had a happy Mother's day.
A

Hi again! Well Loretta I fixed the hospital error, better? We had a fun day today, Greg stayed home sick and we had a bunny incident. I think Greg was more tired than sick, you know how you feel when you haven't had enough sleep?

The bunny incident happened when Scruffy was out loose and somehow managed to find a new born bunny. Of course Scruffy, always interested in bringing new and exciting things home brought home the bunny. Brit thought at first she had a rat or something but it was going "Meep, meep" which really didn't sound like a rat. So she took it from Scruffy to see what it was and found out it was a little bunny. She brought it in and we got a box and some hay for it. I called a friend of mine who is a vetrinary surgeon and she told us that she would be surprised if it made it because rabbits are one of the hardest animals to rehabilitate. She was kind enough to bring over some food and stuff to try and save it but unfortunately it died before she got here. It was really cute too!

Mom was over for the afternoon and stayed for supper so it was a pretty good day all in all. Mom seems to be feeling pretty good, sore of course but I feel better just seeing her up and about.

I wonder how Andrene made out with the painting and the carpeting thing? Is Charlene still playing with matches or did someone wrestle them away from her ; ) Just teasing. How is Angie making out with baby Alec? or is that Alex?
Well I am off to tuck Tim in night all.

All is quiet on the blogger front eh? I am back to work at the Garden Centre so I haven't got as much time for playing on the computer these days.

Mom is home from the hospital and trying to rest as much as possible. She looks really good lots of colour and such.

All this physical exercise and fresh air is making me really tired these days so I will just say hi to everyone and goodnight.

Wow what a hectic week Mom had surgery for cancer. Thankfully all went well, the surgeon thinks they got it all. She was looking a lot better tonight when I went in to see her, she had some colour in her face.

My dog got lost in the woods all tangled up in her chain on Sunday night, Tim found her finally this morning. I have been running back and forth to the hospital and walking in the woods trying to find the dog. I can relax for a minute now that everyone is safe again.

Mozilla is a browser Andrene it is pretty neat actually I use it most of the time.

Charlene has been playing with fire eh? Funny I never saw or heard anything.

Anyway I am off to relax and not think about anything.

Well, Loretta IM'd me and then said "I can't see anything" and disappeared. Lyle just stabbed himself with the needle nosed pliers and ran through here to bleed in the bathroom so he wouldn't get any on the new carpet...such a good man. I don't even want to know what he is doing with the pliers in the first place. Me, I'm sitting on the couch thinking about all the stuff I should be doing. I called Southwest to find ticketless travel funds and I had $133 from last year, but they could not find the $238 I had from this last month or so. SO I may not have enough free tickets to get there, I will check SWA online to see if I can find any specials. Anyways, I guess I'm off to do that, then...

hehehe - you missed us...hehehe... Can you huys ALL come to Texas in July? We want to get married.

OK Rolana, what's Mozilla? Is it a web browser? I can't believe Chuck set Mohannes on fire! And Joni's description of it was pretty good. :) I haven't read my email from Mike yet, but I am glad to hear Alex is feeling better. I have on my list of things to do today to call Southwest and see is I have any ticketless travel funds to come home for a long weekend and set up another phone line for Mom so she can be connected at her place. It was great to hear from her! I am glad she is happy although I wish she weren't working full time, but she would be a good addition to any organization. I'd hire her in a heart beat! Hey, Retta, if the comic makes Joni empty the dishwasher, I wouldn't complain! We have some pretty embarrassing cable shows here, send her down, because I have a diswasher full from yesterday! Although I may be prejudiced. The EB brought tons of candy for the kids - unfortuneately he dropped off 140 empty eggs and some bags of candy and it took Lyle four hours to fill all the eggs. But, sadly, one of Lyle's brother's stepsons took Ashley's bag of candy home as well as his own, so hers is (hopefully they have found it) at Lyle's Moms. She is another one of those believers in "You can have five now, and save the rest". Lyle and I both think (and it works for us) that if you let her have as much as she wants she doesn't eat as much. If you let her have five, she eats five. We threw out her Halloween candy last month in a 27 fling boogie. What did you have for dinner at Charlene's, wheee? I have to go read maiol, talk more later...

Wow this blog went from being really quiet to really busy. Hi Loretta it is so good to have you back on line. You will have to drop by and show off your new hair color. Joni when did you dye your hair? I dyed mine a darker color than it was, I think I like it better than blonde.
Andrene how goes the shelf escapade, it must be nice being able to do stuff like that by yourself. I remember helping Dad when I was a kid build cabinets and cases for his medals, I love the smell of wood. Joe jr is here visiting Greg he has gotten quite a bit taller.

I decided to post in Internet Explorer and see if the buttons stay on the screen so far so good. I get a split screen in Mozilla too but the typing area is no where near as wide. Doesn't matter alot but it might be nice to have the buttons stay where they are supposed to. I guess I may have to use IE to post.

Well I had better get to work I am supposed to be doing some elearning for work, it is going kind of slow hard to get motivated for some reason.

Whoops! I didn't realize it was so late! I invited Reen, but now I have to go start supper. Talk more later! I meant to ask you how DAd was doing...

Loretta! Long time no type! That snake was bigger than an inch and a half hose! He was a good two inches. Yuck. The shelves are going well, setting up the drill press to actually get started took longer than making the holes in the boards is taking. It takes about ten minutes to do one side of an 8' board. I am putting the holes in for the little adjustable shelf pegs. I am using the "You can do anything for fifteen minutes" flylady thing, only I adjusted it to twenty so I could have a ten minute break after each one (cause IT IS HOT OUT!!!) I have my timer going. That means this will be a series of a couple posts, because I can only do ten minutes at a time. I actually remembered your birthday! I hope it will be wonderful. I heard about AManda's baby, Mom told me when I called her after her first day of work. I also got an email from Laureen, she told me too. It was so good to hear from her! I am going to invite her to join the blog on my next break.

Last night I went to Lowe's (huge home inprovement store) and got the stuff to make the built in bookcases for the bedroom, and to make a new top for a couch table that I am going to turn into the bottom part of the computer desk. I got the guy to cut everything to size for me and he didn't charge me anything! So that will save me tons of time today. I have to go out and set up my drill press that Lyle got me for Christmas to cut the little holes for pegs for the adjustable shelves. Plus I went to WalMart and got my "other stuff", all the stuff that is too expensive at the grocery store. I had some coupons and I took back two four dollar plastic shelves that we had bought for Ashley's room and didn't need, and my total went from $78 to $61. YAY! I also splurged and got some Wilton Candy melts for Ashley to make some more Easter lollipops with this weekend. And I got a $1.75 craft organizer for my embroidery floss, which I needed because I used my old one that Angie got me for Xmas years ago to organize little pieces of glass for mosaics. Anyways, I am off to go build shelves. Since I am working on the lawn, I hope it isn't as windy as it was last night!

Whoops PPS - That shop hop is exactly the same thing, Rolana! I got some great organizer bins at the dollar store for the tools. Now if I could just magically make the stuff jump in.... We also got a beautiful wall unit at our "Global" (called CCA) on Saturday. It is so pretty! We are going to set it up on top of a deep desk for the computer stuff so it will all be hidden but still be in the room so we can watch Ashley while she is playing, and so I can work on my book without being hidden away in the back room somewhere. I also bought two pairs of jean overalls to work around the house in, neither of which fit my fat butt. Depressing! They have no changing rom there, so I can't tell. I hate that! I have to go wrap Joni's LATE birthday presents, I am planning to walk the mile to the post office.

PS - Chuck - thanks for the Grover introduction - that made me laugh! All our birds are gone, I guess they headed back to you guys. I heard about a plan online for a loftbed that you can set up an office/closet/whatever underneath, and thought of you - http://www.oploftbed.com/index.php It sounded so cool, I wated to do it in Ashley's room!

I probably shouldn't tell you this so close to when some of you may visit, but....

We killed a HUGE snake in the yard yesterday, and I went online to look up what it was. We couldn't figure out what it was, but Lyle (who moved here from CA when he was seven) said there are two kinds of snakes, king cobras and water moccasins, and he was killing it regardless. It was funny, he hates the cop thing, he is a fire marshal, so often doesn't carry his gun or even know where it is. He was mowing the yard, the mower turns off, he comes running into the house and yells - "Where is my gun?" I thought the Iraquis had made it to Texas. After finding his gun under the seat in his truck to give him courage, he killed the snake with a shovel and a fireaxe. Much more firemanly of him. I puked and we delayed lunch a couple of hours.

I quit my job on Friday. I gave two weeks notice but the VP was so mad he didn't want it. The President (Gene) tried to talk me into staying but the VP (Steve) didn't want me to. It helped that I told him I was tired of him being demeaning and rude to me. Lyle has wanted me to quit for six months, so he is happy. We have savings for three months of living with no change, or indefinitely if we scale back on the shopping and remodelling. Gene suggested I start my own business. Lyle agrees. I am scared! But, Lyle said I have to marry him if we start a business so it will have his name on it. :) Lyle wantsme to take a week off and relax because I have been working 70 and 80 hour weeks lately, but relax is a relative term.

Luckily, this no job thing means I have more time to clean the house up and finish the nine hundred chores I have to do with the remodel. And I am doing the fifteen minutes at a time flylady thing, but I have found it works better if I use the timer backwards, and count up, then I go faster. Then I try to beat my time. I have an anal retentive chart that will allow me to do all of the housework M-F in 45 minutes a day. So far so good, I have been refining it for a while now, and I am trying to make it second nature to do it while I make supper. Of course, not having a kitchen makes it easy because there is one less room to clean, but harder because I have to "mop" a wooden dusty subfloor, and there are open cracks that lead to the dusty attic.

Anyways, that is my news, so I'll go for now, and hopefully I can check in more often.

Hi Charlene and everyone. If you want to see robins just drop by, they are all over the place here. It was just like a spring day today, probably snow tomorrow.

I was thinking Andrene the buttons scrolling off the page might have something to do with the browser I'm using I use Mozilla I will have to try it in IE.

Well it is late and I must head to bed. Take care all.

What is this shop hop thing anyway sounds like fun? I went shop hopping yesterday off to Global, the dollar store, just about every drug store in town and the new super store. I love Global and the Dollar Store, they are my favorite places to shop.

We have had a lot of Robins and BlueJays around so maybe we will get some of these 80 degree days soon, here's hoping anyway.

I am still having the problem with the post and publish button scrolling off the page, oh well have to keep life interesting.

Everyone has been sick lately, Tim missed two days of work and both kids missed one day. I am glad I'm not working because I seem to have laryngitis and it wouldn't be fun trying to talk to all those customers.

Poor Alex! What a lot of tummy trouble. I loved getting the pictures of the birthday party. The cake was really sweet - who made it?
Someone has a creative nature. I spent an hour working on my scrapbook last night, I am still finishing Halloween 2002. I have on epage left to do, but I started getting stuff together for our ski trips, so I can do that next. I think I only want to do that next because I like all the snowflake papers. I did a "Shop Hop" last week, went to 9 different scrapbook stores in 8 days. I got busy at work because I had to fire a guy, which means fixing all his messes, but Ashley and I went to the last five stores on Saturday. At the second to last store the lady gave her her own stamp card, then she wanted to start over to get all of the stamps. I told her we would do it again next year, and the lady said they may have another one in the fall. I spent almost $300, I hope they wait until next year. I was feeling bad about spending so much on me when we have so much house stuff to do, but Lyle said I work for it! Just last week there wasn't one day I was home before ten o'clock. Although, one of those days I could have been home by 8, but I went to a scrapbook store!

My post button isn't going anywhere, Rolana. But I have a split screen where I see the blog posts on the bottom and I type on the top. It doesn't look like the blog you and Loretta have.

I actually like painting - it looks like you did something when you're done - except for trim, which is just a big pain in the a**. You either mask evertything off, which takes hours, or you make a terrible mess. I am the "terrible mess" type myself. We did get it painted before the carpet, and the carpet is in, and I love walking on it. It is hard to get people to take off their shoes - that is not something that is done around here. I am a little disappointed in the carpet in a way, it doesn't look "new", I don't know how to explain that any better. I keep thinking though, that will likely mean that it will look that way for longer. It is a "frisee", which is a new word for the seventies shag, but it is short and very thick, so it just looks like an interesting texture. And the color is "linen", which is very light, explaining the shoe problem.

Last weekend it was in the 80's and Lyle had to mow the lawn. It is supposed to be in the high seventies today. This time of year you need the heater one day and the AC the next. It was 40 this morning. It only freezed "hard" (they say that on the news here, but I don't know what they mean - isn't ice always hard?) three or four times this past winter. Otherwise it was above freezing in the day time.

I know for sure no one would go near me with pliers if I had a bellybutton ring - that must be a sign of trust in her Dad. I almost never use the holes I have in my head - now when I wear earrings my earlobes itch by the end of the day. I guess I am out of the habit. Well, I guess I should get to work, I just wanted to check in because it has been so long. Miss you guys - hope to talk at you again soon. :)
a

Alexander has to be bacak on the growth charts before they can take the tube out permanently he does go every 4 weeks to get a new one and they switch sides so the nose does not get too iritated he is do for a change on Monday and we were hoping that it would be out for ever but he has had a lot of setbacks this month and he will need to go to Iwk to see a gastroenterologist (sp?). We are waiting on when that will be.

We had a great time at his birthday party although he missed some of his Aunties, he really enjoys his toy steering wheel that his auntie Loretta got him Emily is constantly taking it from him to play with. I really like it too especially because it plays a lot of different songs some of the toys we have gotten just have a couple and they get so tiring this is so colourfull too.
Hope Loretta gets her puter fixed up so she can read this LOL.

So where is everyone these days? Andrene how did you make out with your carpet? Did you get your painting finished in time?

Angie how are you and the kids making out? Hopefully Alex will continue to gain weight. So how long do they figure before he will be able to go without the tube?

What you have to do is make sure when you are posting that the post and post & publish button don't scroll off the page. Isn't that weird.

What is going on with blogger?? The post button keeps disappearing when you are typing your blog. Has anyone else had this problem?

Painting I hate it! What a pain, I tried to get Tim to paint the kitchen and ended up doing it myself. I would still like to put another coat on part of it, but doubt I will get to it. I took all the hardware down for hanging the curtains and now I can't find it. Mind you I did this last summer so as you can see it is not a priority project. I think the curtains would probably have kept it a little warmer in here too. It has been so cold this winter. With all the snow out there I think we may have to skip spring too.

So how come your pipes froze I thought it was warmer down there? Ours froze about a month ago, almost got a divorce while he was fixing them.

Tim passed his third block he did really good too, we are all proud of him of course. The kids bugged him to make sure he was studying the whole time, I think they like turnabout.

Brit's belly button is healing pretty good, I still think it looks like it would hurt though. She says it doesn't hurt at all. She changed the balls on it the other day, her Dad had to help her. You have to use pliers to get them off the first time. Don't think I would let anybody near me with pliers if I had a ring in my belly button.

Greg got a sleeper ring for his ear and he doesn't like it, he complains that it hurts, so we switched it back to the stud. We told him if he lets it heal over this time we won't be getting it done again. Seems strange to pay people money to poke holes in your kid. Mom pierced my ears when I was twelve and that was enough for me, I don't need any more holes in my head.

I did one and three quarters doors last night.... Lyle surprised me when I got home yesterday, he had stayed home (took his snow day) and taken the door out of the bedroom! YAY! I have to sand it tonight and touch up the drywall in a few other places before the carpet, but now that will be all done before carpet too! YAY! Lyle is going to paint the remaining one and one quarter door tonight, then we start on the baseboard. I am out of town tomorrow, and I won't be home until late, so no more work for me. Tonight is menu planning night and I am behind in my cooking - Lyle had leftovers and I had popcorn for supper last night. I still gained a pound this morning. Incredible!

Carpet this weekend! YAY! I have three doors left to paint, all the base and all the floors to wash before Saturday. Pray for me!
a

B..B..B..Freaking..R..R..R! The pipes froze last night (no shower! Sorry flylady) for
the second time this winter, because Lyle STILL has not wrapped the
pipes with insulation. What are the odds of Texas having two freezes
in one year, right? So before he leaves to go teach fire school,
he puts a space heater under the house and asks me to check on it 'a
bit later' So I check it a couple times, and the water was working, but I couldn't
make the stupid shower drip, so if I take out the heater it'll freeze
again, and if I don't, the next TXU bill will be a fainter.

So off I go to the shop, and get a couple pieces of house insulation,
thinking I'll jest set it in front of the hole (another Lyle undone honey
do - and don't feel bad for him, I did all the electrical, he has to
do all the plumbing. We are equal"ish"...)so the wind won't blow in,
I grab some plywood and a drill and I'm off - except I am wearing
slippers (I know, I know), so I fall on my a** going around the
house, and then get down on my knees in a puddle created by said
space heater. I'm going to bed before Lyle comes home, in case the
pipes have refrozen in the next two hours - cause if he says a word I
may shoot him.

My fingers are cold, but I had to come complain about the fridge. I did an inconspicuous area test spot with the black marker, and it came off fine. So I write it all on with the red (7 flylady bedtime routine items) and then head off to do number one, expecting to spend the rest of the evening casually watching HGTV abd scrapbooking. I laid out my clothes and started a load of wash, then....I went to wipe it off. Nope. I spent 25 minutes, and finally got it off with orange clean and baking soda. Well, at least the fridge is clean. Then the ice saga. I give up. At least I made it home. Besides, what's wrong with going to bed at 7:30? Lyle has ruined me.

I forget what I am supposed to do. I told Lyle about the list on the fridge, and he said "WIll it come off?" Then he got sed to it, stopped panicing, and brought me home a pack of those wipe-erase markers. Wish me luck. Last night it was icing and I was cold and I lost all my willpower once I got hime, so I went to bed at 7 o'clock and watched TV all night where it was warm and cosy. I have PMS, I think I need B vitamins.

That Winsor Pilates vid would be a good gift for Mother's Day, Gee. I have the DVD or I would copy it for you. I do have some yoga vids and one Denise Austin Pilates video I could copy for you if you want. Or, I could try to copy them. The tv is all jumpy from the sound of the surround sound I installed on Sunday, so I am not too confident lately. I found the yoga to be kind of mind numbing, but I only did it a couple of times. I SUCK at sticking to things. Lyle is teaching fire school tonight, so I will have some time to get the stuff written on the fridge.

Yay Alex for 14-1/4 lbs. I called Mom this morning and she said Dad was mad yesterday again. And she had high blood pressure when she went to the DR aso he wanted her to go on a blood pressure medecine, which she looked up on the internet and thought was not for her. She asked him if it might be the stress she was under, and he said that had nothing to do woth it. She said that was "bullshit". Mom actually said "bullshit". I laughed. Anyways she took the prescription, but she was going to talk to the druggist. I called my doctor and told her about it and she said she would put her on a six month diet, exercise and stress reduction regimen and have her test herself weekly at the drugstore, then recheck her then. I tried to call her back and tell her but she must have gone to see Dad already.

The boss just came and and told me to go home, it is sleety out and he wants everyone to be home before it gets dark. Lyle didn't wash the crockpot from Sunday, so I moving tonights meal to tomorrow, which was menu day, and buying chili from Wendy's for supper tonight. Except I have to drive a half mile down the road and people here cannot drive in ice...

We had Alex checked today and he is up another 12 ounces so that makes his weight 14 1/4 now. I would love to do that winsor pilates exercise I have been trying to talk Mike into getting it for me but then I thought maybe I should start with yoga and work my way up to windsor what do you think?

I still do not use a control journal and i only look at the flylady musings as well I am taking baby baby steps now since Alex has been needing all my time but i do lay my clothes out most nights and I clean my sink 9 times out of ten. like I said babybaby steps . I do not feel guilty when I can not get things done anymore b/cause I now know it is not me but my type lol.
Any way gotta go unload the dishwasher.

I hate red eye! I have a pen thing for the printed pics. I can't believe that Alex is so old either. Yikes! I am glad he is getting the hang of eating. How much does he weigh now? I have discovered Winsor Pilates, and I have decided it is the alternative to exercise I have been looking for. I hate working out because I hate to sweat. This makes me sweat, but not "sweat and keep killing yourself? you idiot! Sweat is a sign of BAD things!" More like Hmm...calm, gentle, stretch...hmmm...relaxing, but invigorating...hmmm...whoops, I'm done! What is that - a drop of perspiration on my brow? How refreshing! Okay, well, not that good, but I'm trying.

You're right on the money with the mitre saw thing, Rolana, I have one, it is even a compound one. But I am totally clueless as to how to do this. I got some tips from a buddy at work that I will try as soon as I get the guts. I can't believe you have actually asked me to show you my scrapbooks! WWWOOOHAH! This may take a while, but I am in! Maybe we could make an evening of it, invite the sisters, and I'll bring all my crap and we can all exchange sparkly glitters! We were talking about coming home this summer but I am not sure when or if. Lyle gets lots of time off, but I only have 9 days (out of ten) left this year. I have five allotted to a Canada trip, but I just don't know...the Money and all.

I joined this Yahoo group called Alt_Flylady, because the flylady groups I have looked at around here seem to be all bible thumpers. I am going to try it. After what Rolana said about the emails, I signed up to have them delivered to me as one daily digest, so that I get them all at once, and zip past the ones I don't care about. Right now all I read are the flylady musings and the success stories. I started two weeks ago but didn't want to say so in case I failed. One of the ladies in the alt_flylady group said she writes her morning and evening routines on the fridge door with a Wipe off marker, so it is easier for her to remember that trying to find her control journal and actually open it. Lyle used to write me love notes on the bathroom mirror when we first got together, so this won't freak him out too badly. I have to try this, because all weekend my new control journal was on the move...

My daytimer (aka the Log), home from work (I'm fairly organized at work, just not at home) joined it on friday night on my night table. Saturday morning, it was opened and spread across the newly made bed in piles for organization - abandoned, it was later heaped onto the sewing basket by Lyle in search of napping space. At dinnertime, it was spread across the floor in a frenzied search for the recipe for the new menu planning ahead thing (Never did find it, I winged it, thinking - what could be so hard about wilted spinach and chicken salad? - Lyle actually gagged. LOL). On Saturday night I rescued it and took it to the living room, where it resided on the coffee table, causing tremendous guilt all evening. On Sunday morning, after ignoring the bedtime routine (except for deciding to wear the crumpled work jeans on the floor to hook up the surround sound in the attic the next day) I grimly went forth to open the book - I unpiled the Log off the top (after removing six naked barbies from their latest home) and then remembered I needed tea. This led to getting the paper to read with the tea, which led to clipping the day's coupons, which led to starting a roast in the crockpot....Sidetracked Home Executive! But we have an excuse, Mom taught us this from the time we were kids. So - I never did open it. It is still on the coffee table. The Log said a happy goodbye and came to work with me today. I do a lot of work on Monday mornings just to avoid carrying notes from last week's Log into this week.

I have made another couple cool changes too - I have a pretty paper bag with handles in the laundry room that says "socks with no friends" for all the lonely little guys. Theoretically I will throw them out in a boogie. I can't stand the thought of chucking them and then finding their mate/friend/child socky - and I will be the one responsible for their loneliness forever. I did my first 27 fling boogie on Saturday - it was pretty painless because I had five old phone books and some old magazines of Lyle's. Later, when I told him, he said if he didn't know he didn't care. :) I told him the reverse does NOT also apply.

The lightbulb in the fridge blew on Saturday - in the past, replacing it would have taken months. I removed it, added the brand name to the "home Depot" list on the fridge (as important in our house as the grocery list) and know I will buy one on Wednesday on my bi-weekly hardware shopping trip. It feels good to be a little in control, anyways. And Lyle is CEO of dishes. When I get up to check the laundry, he gets up to check the dishes. Although I have to do all the meal planning and cooking, he cleans the kitchen afterwards. I refuse to remind him, but all I have to do is make a point of folding his socks in front of him (Something I heretofore have refused to do) and he gets the message. Now I have to figure out a way to get him to wash the table and counters.

I have to go finish my Log and weekly plan - wish me luck!
Ande

Alexander is 11 months today I can not believe that in one month he will be a year where did the time go?! Just dropped in to say hello I am trying to put Alex down for a nap and he is not cooperating hopefully that will mean he will go to bed early tonight. Got some pictures developed I will try to get a photo page for you guys to see them at I also have to get Mike to take the red eye out of them about 85% of the pics have it.

Ok my posts are not being posted I posted on the 14 and on the 17 but neither one showed up on my area. On friday I wished you all happy Valentine's day and I rambled on about stuff on the 17 and I mentioned that Alexander gained another 200 grams(7 ounces) and is starting to get the hang of eating. He does not like the baby food but will eat the toddler meals and outr food mashed up he had potatoes at supper tonight and loved them. Hope this one gets posted.

Sparkly hearts gotta love em don't ya! Andrene when you do come home bring a couple of your scrapbooks and drop by and show me ok. Who knows maybe I will get started on this one and you can share some ideas. Wouldn't it be easier to cut molding with a mitre saw to get the angle thing right? Pay no attention to me I have never cut molding in my life, just a thought.

Replacing eating with shopping sounds like a plan except I tend to eat out of boredom at night when the stores are closed. Might have to "gasp" exercise or something instead.

Tim is on his third block for industrial mechanics, he writes his final tomorrow. He has been a little stressed out go figure.

Greg apparantly doesn't think he wants to look like a pirate, imagine! With all that gold maybe you could make rings for both of you. :)

Rolana

What a day!!!! SO far, I am further behind in my work than I was when I got here. It is GROWING!!! OH well, that's why they pay me the big bucks. Speaking of big bucks, I got the first installment on my bonus, and ordered the carpet for the end of the month, then Lyle and I finished the trim this weekend - all except for the crown molding, which I still haven't figured out how to cut. Wish me luck. Now I have to go to Mesquite this afternoon to the Town East Mall to start a job that was supposed to start on Monday, but I didn't know that it was...WHOOPS! That was a big oopsie on my part. I have plenty of excuses as to why I didn't know, including phone calls and emails not responded too, but in the end it is always my responsibility. I hate that part.

I found some sparkly "confetti" for Valentine's day for half price and got it for my scrapbooks, since you mentioned it. That'll look cute! I think you should definitely write it rather than type it - it means so much more when it is part of you. I am thinking about declaring a shopping moratorium for a month, not buying anything except groceries. I use shopping to replace eating in my life. :( Rolana, what kind of course is Tim finishing up? I feel terrrible for not knowing.... Congratulate Brit on the holey tummy. I have a really huge 14 k gold hoop that Greg could wear, (think 80's), it was a gift from an old boyfriend, and I lost one. I have been considering melting all the old stuff down and making something new out of it - including my old wedding ring, and my engagement ring. Make good use of them! I told Lyle we should use our old wedding rings to make new ones, but his ex girlfriend made him throw his out. DUMB! I do have a couple of really little hoops that I only have one of, I'll have to send those with Joni's EXTREMELY late birthday present. I have to go - must work now!
love
a

Those are all good aren't they. So it wouldn't really matter what type of paper you used if you weren't putting photos in your scrapbook right? I was actually thinking about creating one for the gratitude thing. I got some cute valentine like stuff you know the sparkly hearts and x and o's that I thought would look neat sprinkled on a page. I figured I could use regular scrapbook paper to start and maybe find some cardboard and cover it with either some fancy wrapping paper or material to use for a cover. I might just hand print the text parts instead of typing it. Wouldn't it be neat to use caligraphy? Wish I knew how to do it.

Well Brit finally did it, she got a hole poked in her belly button. The woman came here and did it, Brit had no way to get to her house and she was headed out of town for the weekend. She says she goes to peoples houses all the time because people sometimes want things pierced that they aren't comfortable going to a shop for. Anyway she also said she plans on having piercing parties, I don't think I will be going.

Brit didn't holler or anything she did start laughing at one point probably because I started laughing at her. The lady who did it was telling her she had the toughest skin she had ever seen I told her that she got that from her Dad's side of the family.

Greg has his ear pierced he wants a hoop for it instead of a stud just a little one. I should get him a great big one and tell him he can be a pirate. He probably wouldn't find that funny though, he is at an age that doesn't see humor in stuff like that.

Tim is home for the weekend, just one more week to go and he is all done his course for this year. I'll be glad when he is home full time again.

What about having warm feet to stick your cold feet on in bed? Or when you go outside and your car was just magically washed, for no reason other than it was dirty. Or a kid waking you up with an impromptu "picture of an elephant on a fence" on Saturday morning. :) They have scrapbook stores all over the place here that sell acid free and lignin free stuff for making scrapbooks that last for generations. Or, they say they will, time will tell. Wal-Mart sells some paper and albums, too. They have places on line, but most of them are US. There was a Canadian one in the back of one of my magazines, if you're interested I'll try to find it. In some scrapbook magazines, they say you can use anything you want, but if it doesn't say AF or LF then just don't let it touch the photos, and they will be safe. I usually mat them on a square of the AF paper, and then put that on top of the non AF paper. Others say that the oil on your hands will ruin the pictures, and that you have to have special handcream and archival spray ($40 - forget about it!) to keep everything safe. For me, I buy the AF LF stuff because it comes in all sorts of patterns and colors, but I also use Christmas wrapping paper, cool stuff from newspaper ads (I usually photocopy it or trace it and color it because newsprint turns yellow fast - but they have great fonts and black and white drawings), you can download fonts from the net to use and print out the titles for your pages. I have been thinking about using Ashley's coloring books. Lately I have been in a tearing paper phase, so instead of say, drawing an orange pumpkin (I am still working on Halloween) I will tear orange paper to look like a pumpkin and then tear green paper to make a little stem and leaves. I also shade those with chalk and pencilcrayons to give them depth.

They have a few kinds of books that you can use, one type called 'strap hinge' or 'post bound' where the covers aren't attached together so you can add in as many or as few pages as you want - I love that kind. Then you can get the pages that are plastic (some photosafe kind) sleeves that you tuck your pages into - that keeps them clean, but I usually have lumpy stuff that won't fit in all that well - like little pumpkins and ghosts made out of craft wire, or tiny pompoms. They also have some that each page just has holes in it and the book is like a three ring binder - I don't have one of those. I think that is what I need for the lumpy pages. I do have a post bound one where the paper just has holes in it, but it is kind of hard to get the pages to lay flat - they all get a wrinkle from when you turn them.

When we go places I keep ticket stubs and programs and silly stuff - like a subway token from Boston, and a Chuck E. Cheese quarter from there, or confetti, and then I stick them in there or put a little envelope on the page and put it in that. Lyle used to say I was a little overboard on the whole thing, but then I got some pages done, he liked them, and now he enthusiastically helps me save stuff.

When Ashley was sick last weekend Lyle was saying the same thing - like, Ashley is old enough to tell us if she is sick or if she wants or needs something, but if we say no, then she is dependant on us and that's all she gets. He was sad about it, but I think that was more related to the fact that her Mom had not let her wear a coat to go to our house in 49 degree weather the day before because her other coats were at Grandma's and she only had one that she didn't want to "lose". That drives Lyle crazy, with good reason I guess. He is a jerk when they are together. She frustrates him incredibly - it's funny (wierd, not haha) to see him at such a loss for words. She pushes all of his buttons. Too depressing of a topic for today! Luckily I had bought her a new coat before we went skiing (Well, new to us) and then we bought her a skisuit, plus she had two coats from last winter, so I sent three coats home with her. They only cost a couple of bucks at second hand stores, so why even bother to worry? I am an extremely good thrift store shopper - I refuse to pay $145 for a blazer when I can get the same thing for $3.99 at Goodwill. There is a store here called Kohl's, it is a department store like Sears, and they have 80% off their clearance stuff on Wednesdays. I can get Ashley jeans for $1.85 and me dress pants for $5. Lyle said I can't buy thrift store pants anymore, because I don't like to try them on and they are usually too short. About a month ago we took everthing out of the closet to paint it, and we agreed not to put anything back in unless it fit. I lost a lot of pants that day...but so did Lyle. We do have a probation pile in the spareroom closet, but if they don't fit by November, they go too. We have an extremely neat and tidy closet at present, though!

Can you believe that Lyle has agreed to help me do the flylady thing? He is going to have morning and bedtime routines too. Although, he thinks he will do his morning routines when he gets home from work, because he always gets home before me. I really hope it works for us, our house in definitely in C.H.A.O.S. I started yesterday, Rolana, and I got them to send the emails as a digest, so I only get one a day. One big one, but one. And we decided to do the bathroom sink as our sink. I shined it last night, and this morning was the first morning in weeks that I have not woken up to yucky scummy shaving debris in the bottom of the sink. YAY Lyle! Well, I have been yakking forever. Can you tell I am not that busy at work? Yesterday morning I got the IT guy to make me a new email: She-RaDefenderoftheUniverse@royalseal.com. It really works! moshera is my login for everything, so I always think of he man and she ra when I am on the net. Then I called a couple of my clients (ones who appreciate a good joke) and told them I was changing my email address to reflect a change in my personal power. That got them laughing, and I was able to beg for work with a little more dignity than usual. Love you all...
a

Well you certainly do talk a lot :) one of your most likeable qualities too. Now you have given me an idea, I really like the idea of a special scrapbook for gratitude, if you really think about it you will definitely get more than a page. Doesn't have to be deep stuff either, just stuff that touches your heart. Any mom will understand the importance of sticky kisses. What about the way your guys arms feel around you. The sunset. Snowflakes sparkling in the moonlight like diamonds. Butterflies, snow angels, fireflies or the smell of a bonfire. As you can see I could go on and on and on. I won't though :). So my question is this when making a scrapbook what kind of paper do you use to start it and how do you bind it or do you start with a book? Any tips on things to definitely include or avoid?

When children are sick you can imagine all sorts of things going wrong, it is absolutely horrible. When husbands or live in males are sick you wonder how you lived with them that long with out killing them. Course that could be just me :).

I remember doing the three hour feedings and feeling like I would never sleep again, hang in there Angie. I am glad you have help take advantage of it.

I am starting to think that I talk way more than you guys! I guess it's because this is my only web-related responsibility. :) I talked to Mom last night, she said that they moved Dad to the second floor and that he looked forward to seeing her every day. She thought. That is good. She seemed happy to be home and unpacking, although a little overwhelmed by the amount of stuff she had to unpack. We weighed in today for our office challenge - I gained a pound since last week - wish I could lend it to Alex. Speaking of whom, I couldn't see those pictures, Angie. I think it is from yahoo's end that I couldn't see them, they are not going past their server. :( You'll have to get Mike to send them I guess. I am going to go to flylady and sign up, but do it under my ev1 email account so that will be all that goes there. Then I just have to remember to check it. That may work. Talk to you soon -
a

Well, I missed the morning at work, although I thought I was getting over it. :( This morning I got up at 6 to go to the bathroom and fainted on the toilet. That is the second time that has happened to me! The first time, I fell off and scratched up my face on the edge of the door, which woke Lyle up. This time I fell backwards so I didn't fall, but he didn't hear me and I couldn't call out when I woke up, I was too weak, so I slid off the toilet and crawled to the tub and stuck my head under cold water until I could cool down and focus enough to go back to bed. Then I was cold so he brought me his blanket that Charlene made him for Christmas, because he said it was his favorite and it would make me feel better. He is so sweet.

That is cool that you get a support worker, Angie - that must help. I know my brain doesn't work as well when there are house work things to be done - I just keep going through the lists in my mind. I don't necessarily do it though....It must be overwhelming - every three hours. 22 ml sounds like a lot more than a tablespoon and a half. How many emails do you get if you sign up for flylady? More than one a day? I thought you just got one from "Kelly" to tell you what to clean that day. I could handle that. More, I don't think so.

You know, a gratitude list might make a good thing for a scrapbook page. Although, if you noted, mine was pretty dumb. Wouldn't I have to think of things that were a little deeper? Like more philsophical than the guy in the office next door not yelling? I would like to see what I would have written when I was Brit's age. You'll have to try to keep it for posterity. I am sorry that she and Greg are sick - sick kids are draining on everyone - ask Angie. :) Sick husbands (or live in type persons, we have been talking about getting married a lot more lately) are equally draining. Lyle does baby me when I am sick too, though, so I shouldn't complain.

I went to a scrapbook store at lunch to buy paper that looked like straw ans ended up spending $7.01 for that 59 cent piece of paper. I can never get out of those places without picking up just one more thing. I suppose, after missing the morning and then going to lunch, I should really go. Plus, Dr. Laura starts in a couple minutes, so I'll want to listen to her! Talk to you all soon!
a

Hello just thought I would post to let you know I am still around. Alexander ate 22mls of cereal(thats 1 1/2 tbsps) he had some green beans for lunch and ate them very well. Its a start anyway. I think he is finally catching on to the eating thing.(I hope anyway)gotta go chat later.

Hi All I have been having fun with sick kids Greg missed two days of school and Brit missed one. Fun stuff. Nothing too serious thankfully.

No Andrene Brit didn't get a hole in her belly button yet but she is certainly working on it. It would be so nice if parents had the energy that their children did.

I signed up for flylady and the next day I unsubscribed, what a lot of email. I told Loretta to share any cool tips with me. I think I would find it too annoying having all that talk about housework, seeing as it isn't my favorite topic.

That gratitude thing is cool I remember Oprah did a segment on having a list of things you are grateful for. I made such a list in my Journal, it is really nice when I am upset. I showed it to Brit awhile ago and she made one for herself. RJ

Here I am. :o) Are you catching what Lyle had or are you getting over it? :o(Cool about the lilac paper. I don't even want to know why you had your glasses hot glued together do I lol. No running water in the sink makes it easier to keep shiny ;o). Darn I will try to send the link again or I will get Mike to email the pics to you I would do it myself but I know very little about doing that and god knows what I would send you. lol Alex is great he gained 6 1/2 ounces last week and he has started to eat baby cereal for us he even let Emily give him a couple of bites tonight It was so cool. I went to the buck or more store last night and spent 15 dollars on loys for him to use as reinforcers(or is it reinforcements I am not sure which it is ). I had a support worker in today to help me I get her for 2 hours Tuesday and Thursday for a couple of weeks to help me get caught up on housework or to keep an eye on Emily what ever I need to ease the burdens today I had her do dishes and mop my downstairs floors while I put laundry away upstairs and started putting away my Christmas decorations. She told me to make a list of things I want done for Thursday. I find it strange getting help but it is so nice to have someone helping out. I am so exhauseted from Alex's feeding every three hours it just seems like I get one finished and get him settled for a nap and I have to get ready for another feeding I hope next week we can relax the feedings to every four hours. Anyway gotta go and tend to baby . talk to you later Angie.

Waugggghhhhh! That is either a wail of discontent or the name on my Construction Practices professor in university. Or both. My tummy feels funny, I have 32 minutes more of work to live through, and I am on my fourth building erector for the Hattiesburg Mississippi job. This latest guy is from Alabama. He freely uses the term "Kick some a**" as part of his professional repertoire. Where are you guys? No one has posted in a while. List of positive things in my life:
1. I did not get pinkeye (knock on wood)
2. I did not have to shoot anyone today
3. I went to a scrapbooking store on the way back from my meeting and got cool paper with lilacs on it
4. I got new glasses at lunch so Lyle will stop calling me "the blob" (he says he is referring to the large mass of hot glue holding my glasses together, but I am not sure)
5. Jim, the guy in the office next door, is not yelling at the moment.

That's it. Like Oprah says, Gratitude is an attitude. Or something like that. I found the flylady website and now I have the idea. I am thinking of becoming a flybaby, but I am stopped by the not having a kitchen sink. Well, at least not one with water connected to it. I thought about doing the bathroom sink, but Lyle shaves in it every morning and that is yucky. Angie, I couldn't see Alex's photos, allI got to see was an error message. :( How is Alex? Loretta, how is Dad? Rolana, does Brit have a hole in her bellybutton yet?
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hi everyone. :) I have had a lazy day today - Lyle felt better this morning so we all got ready to go to the Boat Show, where Lyle wanted to go last week. So we went to IHOP for breakfast - then we stopped at Michael's (a craft store) so I could get a set of stamps (I had a 40% off coupon that expired today). By the time Ashley and I got out to the truck, Lyle felt bad again, so we came home instead. Then, he took a nap, and Ashley decorated a foam frame for her Mom for Valentine's Day, by the time Lyle woke up she was complaining that her eye hurt. She had been at the eye doctor on Friday, so I just thought she was thinking about eyes (when she came in to wake us up this morning she had made an eye chart and was using it to test our eyes), but sure enough, it was red with green gunky stuff. I sen ther in for a nap, and it was better when we woke her up for supper, but by the time she was half done supper she sid it was hurting again. Lyle took her to the clinic. I opted to stay home and guard the cats. I have been working on scrapbooking the pictures of our visit to the pumpkin patch last fall. I am looking forward to doing Christmas ones. :) I was going to call Mom earlier today, but the cordless was dead and I didn't want to talk on the other phone - Lyle's parents bought him one shaped like a motorcycle and it is rather uncomfortable to hold a gas tank to your ear. I look forward to the pics of Alex, Angie. I can't check my email from home, or, rather, I could, but i can't remember how to get into the site. And I am lazy, so I will wait until Monday. I am watching "While you were out". I wish someone would come decorate my house while I was out. Heck, I'd settle for them just cleaning it. What would that flylady say to do if there was no sink? Talk to you later. :) a

Andrene, Yes Maggie's Birthday is the 13th. Emily will sometimes ask to go to bed but I think it is for the stories because there are a few that I only read at bedtime. I will try to post some pictures of Alex on his babiesonline photo site I have some on my yahoo album I will email you the link so you can see them they are ones with the tube in so Mike didn't want it on the babies one cause everyone has access to it the yahoo one is only by invite so only the people I want to see it can see. Loretta I will e-mail it to you too.
I for got to call Kathy on her birthday I had had a migrane and thought about her all day I figured that I wuld be better in the evening when she was home to call her but I forgot until 11:30 and then it was too late I was going to call Mom last night to see how Dad was but I for got until 11:30 I almost called anyway but the baby started fussing so I needed to tend him(mike had been holding him but I guess the baby got tired of him) I have to remember to call tonight. Well I have to go tudy up as Joyce is coming over in a half and hour for cake so much for me relaxing oh well thats life. I will be back later now that I have some familyto bore er chat with lol.(ps. flylady rules with a clean sink and a feather dusterlol)

Whoops I posted by mistake. I am using Lyle's laptop and the keys are close together. It is really convenient though, to be able to sit on the couch while I type. Ashley is the only child I know who asks to go to bed. I'll have to go read her a story in a bit. Speaking of wierd gibberish, Rolana - Mozilla? IE? Hmm...methinks you know too much! I think there is a recipe for the Alfredo sauce in the Joy of Cooking, but mine is out in the shop still packed in a box. Someday I'll have a kitchen to unpack it in. :) The cat is on the back of the couch and she keeps sticking her paws in my hair. Loretta, how do you even function on that little sleep? I would be biting people's heads off. They do have fake fires in fire school. I think there has to be something warped in someone's brain to allow them to run into a building that everyone else is running out of. But hey, I still love him. And if that's Lyle's only wierd thing, then I'm happy. I'm glad that Dad was able to be walking around today - I also like to be able to get good and frequent updates, on him and Alex. I hope we all continue to hang out in here. :) Ashley is trying to read the sentence where she saw her name, btu she keeps being interrupted by a mesmerizing episode of Cosby, circa 1985.

Who is flylady, Whee? I remember that name from somewhere. Is she the one who wrote the book about the clean kitchen sink? I talked to Charlene today at work, we were trying to figure out how she can come to visit. We found a fare from Boston for 262 US, and she can take the bus to Boston for only 42US. It'll be a long day, but not too expensive. Maybe I'll be able to save up a free ticket by then. Lyle's family is havng a reunion in Phoenix in April that he wants to go to, so we are trying to save tickets for that too.If I make four on line purchases from Southwest they send a free ticket. I love that! I just have to go to my jobs a little more often. That is one good perk from m job. We were supposed to get our bonuses on February 1st and we still haven't gotten them, so I am somewhat disgruntled right now. That is about a quarter of my salsry, so when they don't give it to me it is fairly significant. Ashley needs her book read, so I'll go for now.
Love you all -
a

Why did I think Mike's birthday was the 13TH?Maybe that's Maggie's. At least I remembered to call Kathy for her birthday. I actually got presents for JOni, but by the time I mail them she'll be 16. I am at home, (replying to you guys actually made me want to use the computer at home - usually after sitting all day at one the last thing I want to do is be on one in the evening) Lyle is in bed with the flu. I just fnished making supper (shake and bake chicken strips and salad, Ashley's favorite) and Ashley is making garden markers for Grandma & Grandpa Lombard and Grammie Elmo for their birthdays. She loves craft stuff, and since it is freezing outside we're getting a good head start.

Angie, you'll have to email pictures of Alex's cheeks - and did you happen to get any of those cake moments on film? That would be perfect for scrapbooking! Oh, Rolana, don't get me started on the scrapbooking thing, I'll bore you for hours. I have fibers and stamps and different papers and inks and eyelets and pastels and chalks and millions of things that all cost only pennies...and all add up. If you do a search under titles and descriptions on ebay for paper piecing you'll get a pretty good idea. They have stores here that sell nothing but acid free lignin free stuff for making scrapbooks, so they'll last for generations. Wal Mart sells some stuff too. I love the idea of a family journal. I think I'll try to get Ashley and Lyle to do something like that with me. My problem with the scrapbooking thing (other than not enough time) is that I don't take very good pictures. The ones in the scrapbook magazines must be taken by professionals - they never seem to have fingers in the way. I have hundreds of pics of the camera strap.

Hi drene What a cool Idea Glad you invited me to join it will be nice to be able to keep in touch and I can update you on Alexander and the girls. Today was Mikes birthday I made him an Angel food cake and when we were eating it Emily decided that not using a fork or her hands was the best way so she stuck her face right in of course this gave mike the opportunity to "bond"(ie be a kid himself lol) and he joined in I told Emily that she was teaching her daddy bad manners and she laughed. Michelle is making A's and A+'s in French Emmersion she rarely needs help with homework. Alex is starting to get chubby cheeks and he looks so sweet. Well gotta go check the rest of my e-mail I hope I will be able to get back in here next time I want to post.

Hi Andrene I am having a lot of fun with computers today. If one goes flying around here it is because I finally lost it. Spent an hour + trying to reinstall windows on Dad's computer, and now when I try to type a letter or anything in Mozilla I get weird jibberish so I had to convert to IE which I hate. At least I still had it on the computer :).

Did I read something about chicken fettcini in a velvety smooth alfredo sauce, where? Sounds delicious, I love Alfredo sauce. Don't happen to know how to make that do you? What is fire school it sounds scary, you may have to explain this because I'm having visions of a pyromaniacs club or something.

Your scrapbooks sound like fun, what do you do with them exactly and what kind of things do you use to decorate them? We started a family journal a couple years ago, it is fun to read, Tim has even written in it. I think the kids nagged him to do it though.

Not sure about the police thing though :) still trying to convince myself I should exercise when I'm bored instead of eating. Eating is just so much more fun :)

Oh well better go fight with my computer some more. I will check back later to see who else has joined.

Rolana

Okay, I figured out how to post, how to publish (although what the difference is I don't know) and how to invite people. Is anyone here yet? Hmmm... well, maybe it'll take a while to find out. :)

Lyle is teaching fire school tonight, so I am on my own - I think I will watch Friends and maybe clean up a little - nah I think I'll scrapbook instead. It is 5:02, but by staying late and appearing to be working hard, I can effectively make people believe I am industrious and hardworking. How little do they know! the boss is getting ready to leave though, so that is a good clue that I can slip out. Yay!

I have to have salad for supper because there was an unfortunate italian food incident at lunch. Although it was WONDERFUL, (chicken fettucini in the most velvety smooth alfredo sauce) it was also enough calories to live on for two days. And last night I was so proud to buy size twelve! That won't last long at this rate. Maybe I'll do the Pilates video tonight. I wish I would stop talking about working out and start actually doing it. Maybe you guys can be my police - that is - if you ever get to join....hmmmm...

I'm headed home to feed the cats.
a

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