HOT DANG!! I WON SOMETHING!!!!!!!

Barb over at A Chelsea Morning had a drawing for family recipe cards that were left over from her daughter's wedding and I WON!!!!! YAAAA!!!

This was right up my alley because I only had to leave a comment and be put in a drawing to win. Ya know, I actually didn't have to DO anything. So, thanks Barb for your little giveaway and I can't wait to try all the recipes.

I went to lunch with one of my friends from church and her co-worker this afternoon and it was very good to get out and chat with them. We ate and talked and talked and talked.

It has been toooo hot here to go out and do anything! Well, except sweat! I can't stand it when you take a shower to go somewhere and when you step outside you feel like you never took a shower!! I hate that feeling. I am trying to be positive about the heat but every time I step outside it is like stepping into a sauna.

One more thing before I go, I have 3 teenagers sprawled out in my living room and none of them are my own. What is wrong with this picture? My teenager is at work. These teens are just coming back from mission trips to Cuba, France, and Chicago. They are exhausted, bless their hearts. I am having a hard time reigning Abby and Shelby in. They love to talk about everything and these kids just want a nap!!

YOU'RE SUCH A LOVELY AUDIENCE, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE YOU HOME WITH US, WE'D LOVE TO TAKE YOU HOME!

Mike made the mistake of getting the movie "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" from Netflix.

He has created a monster!!! Shelby LOVES the movie!!!! I have heard this song sung more times this weekend than I care to!! Not because we have watched the movie over and over. We have only seen it 3 times!! Mike and Shelby have sung the song nonstop since Friday evening!!!!!!

Okay, I'm tired of it now. That girl loves her some musicals!!! Don't get me wrong, I like the Bee Gees just as good as anybody, but come on now!! She even cries when Strawberry comes back to life. She loves her some drama mixed with happy endings.

Anyway, she has started singing "Here Comes the Sun" so maybe we are moving on!!!

IT'S OVER! VBS IS OVER!

The girls have been going to VBS all week. It was at the church where we USE to attend MOPS. (notice the emphasis on use to!! I can't believe we have graduated!!)

They have had the best time!! They learned new songs, did crafts, played, ate, and had a ball.

It was a nice week and we are glad that we had the opportunity to go.

But, I am glad next week will be slower and not as crazy. Don't get me wrong, it has been nice to have 3 and a half hours to spend with Mike, Trevor, and Ruthie on different days. We just like to have some down time after such a busy week.

The kids and I are planning our trip to go see family in two weeks. We are so excited to take 3 weeks and go see lots of family and friends!! I am already making lists in my head and trying to decide what we would need to take.

Okay this is my 91th post only eight more to go before my 100th post. You know, the hundred things about me post. How in the world am I going to come up with 100 things about myself!!! I think I need to start making a list for that post:~)

Have a great weekend!!!

SWIM! SAID THE LITTLE FISHY!! SWIM IF YOU CAN!!!!

But, our little fishy can't. Why? Because he went the way of the white throne. Our little goldfish is no more. Some may wonder why this is significant. This goldfish was saved from sudden death by my sister back in 2004.

It was part of the college's Project Pumpkin Halloween Carnival. You know, the game where you toss a ball or hoop onto the fishbowl and win the goldfish. This fish was an unlucky loser and so the girls in the dorm were going to flush him down the white throne.

Luckily my sister has a soft heart and rescued him. She named him Petrie, after the character on Land Before Time. She went to Walmart in the wee hours of the morning to get a bowl and food. When she went home for Thanksgiving break I took care of him for her. I brought him home and he was here for the rest of his 2 and a half year life. We even bought him a big fish tank so he could swim his little heart out.

The girls wanted to change his name to Nemo and they called him that but, I liked Petrie so that is what I called him. Then, a few days ago I started seeing signs of distress and I knew he was going down fast. I told the girls I didn't think he was going to live much longer and I was right. They were upset and we talked about it.

Now they want a new fish and their Daddy has told them they can get a new fish or two. Hopefully, they will appreciate their rescue from the pet store, like Petrie appreciated his rescue, and live as long as he did.

THE BAR ACROSS THE STREET.....LITERALLY!!!!!!!!

As I sit here in my living room I am unwillingly listening to a wanna be 70's rock band playing,"I Shot the Sheriff." It is like they are right in our living room giving us a private concert. I am not joking!!

It happens almost every night of the week and it could be 80's, 90's, or country music.

It is like a hodge podge bar that we can not figure out.

Needless to say, we are pretty tired of it.

We are tired of the tires squealing out of the parking lot at 2am and the loud mufflers and the drunks yelling at each other because they are too drunk to know it.

I am now listening to "Cherry Bomb" by John Cougar when Mellencamp was NOT part of his name.

The thing that really makes us crazy is that if we choose to sit in our living room to watch TV or listen to the radio or have a conversation or read a book or do nothing we have to listen to all that junk going on over there. We have to turn up the TV to drown out the live bands and the yelling. We can't have our windows open when the ruckus starts because our kids will hear some pretty unsavory stuff coming from across the street.

We are considering moving and I think it might be soon. We have endured this for about 2 years and it is getting old!! Mike is WAY over it!!! We are praying for a miracle. Maybe God will smote it with His hand. Either way, it's got to stop. Really. Soon. Please. God. Make. It. Stop.

I am going to take some Excedrin and stuff cotton balls in my ears! See, Resa, it could be worse. At least your noise is your own kids not a bunch of over-grown drunk kids with loud mufflers and loud mouths. Goodnight.

WITH A FRIEND TO CALL MY OWN, I'LL NEVER BE ALONE AND YOU MY FRIEND WILL SEE YOU'VE GOT A FRIEND IN ME

*Christel, If you are reading this you will recognize the title as lyrics from Ben by Michael Jackson. I will never forget laying out in the sun on the hill behind your house ,using baby oil to maximize our tans and listening to that MJ cassette over and over and over!!! Beautiful memories!! Love ya!!!

I don't know if it is the post over at lots of scotts but I have been thinking a lot about my friends that I have had for years and years. I have been weepy for some reason today (no, I'm not pregnant! :~) When we went to pick up Trevor today from camp they did a recital and a little musical and I was weepy. Now, if it had been sad or morose that would be understandable.

BUT, NO!! It was Schoolhouse Rock!!! FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!!!

Come. On. Now!!

Anywho, I have been thinking about some really fond memories. Becky, Trevor, and I going to the Pottery to shop for my wedding. Being at the hospital when Emily was born. She just celebrated a birthday. Her Mom wrote about it over at seven4heaven. Sharing some great times with D&D at church and elsewhere. Going out to dinner with S&M. And, I could go on and on and on. I am blessed. I love all of you!

I am thankful for all the wonderful, "old" friendships that I have. Then there are the new ones. My good friend Ruthie that I spent all day with on Tuesday and then finding out on Wednesday that her Dad had passed away. Heart wrenching!! Her Mom died in January and now this. I am utterly without words for her. I am praying earnestly for her and her family.

The Lord says He is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother and I know that is true. I am also glad that He sends friends our way to enrich our lives , sharpen us like iron, and helps carry us when we cannot walk ourselves. Thank you, Lord.

I HAD VACATION LAG LAST WEEK......

You've heard of it or experienced it~~ I am sure!! That week after vacation when you walk around in a daze wondering what you are supposed to be doing. That was me all last week.

I am finally feeling like I am back to normal. Trevor left this morning for music camp. He is pretty tired and he has only slept in his bed two nights out of 23 days. He said he had a blast at The Wilds and he had a lot of things to tell us. On Saturday night he went and saw the third Pirates movie. He said he liked it but it was hard to follow.

We had Homecoming at church yesterday. We didn't get home til around 4:30. It turned out good though. We had about 50 people. The Calverymen sang in the afternoon and Shelby just loved them. They gave her a picture and Mike said she was turning into a roadie~for Southern Gospel. I cracked up!!

I am trying to get all our souvenirs from our trip together and writing out all the stuff we did so we don't forget anything. I will be writing some specific things about our trip at the end of the week. I start a Bible study at my friend's church tomorrow and free movies have started so Mike is taking the girls tomorrow. We just love free movies in the summer.

I'M BACK, I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to all the 5 people who read this blog. We got home on Monday and had house guests come in yesterday. So~we have been busy unpacking and stuff.

We dropped Trevor off for camp on Monday after spending the night with my Nanny.

About vacation, WE HAD A BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We loved every minute of it!!!!!!!!!!!! The trip down went well, the camping was great, the parks were fabulous, the trip back was tedious but okay. We are glad to be home, but it was an AWESOME vacation.

The girls travel well and they rode tons of rides. I was a little worried about taking a teenager and two little girls. Will they have fun together? Will they be able to do some of the same things? I shouldn't have worried!!! We were able to ride almost everything together and the things that Abby couldn't ride(two or three at the most) we just took turns.

I am glad we took so many days to do all the things we wanted to do. I have lots to tell but I will have to post an entry later. I will leave you with a couple of pictures from our great vacation!!!