ahoy, matey!

It's that time again in the land of the pirates...time for parades and celebrations!!!

School released early today for the parade and, boy, has it been one crazy day! Rush to one school for pickup. Realize that the other will not make it home in time to get set up at the parade meeting place so run over to that school for pickup. Get home. Iron uniforms. Throw all the kids in the car. Fight oodles and oodles of traffic to find the right spot. Try to take pictures and realize, oopsie daisies, I forgot the memory card in the card reader at home. Fight the traffic to get to WalMart. Buy memory card and extra batteries. Fight the parking lot traffic that the street has now become. Stand there for 1.5 hours until *my kids *finally pass by in the parade so I can leave for the meeting place.

Jeff is mad. He wanted to walk in the parade. However, because of where he fell in the age line-up and they were trying to fill the lowboy - he had to ride. He is just mad at the world right now. If he doesn't chill soon, I'll be putting his little happy self down for a nap. I don't care if it *is late in the day. I understand from Jen that she caught them up playing several hours after they were sent to bed. um, hm.....And his bad moods will always follow...

So, anyway, enough of that! :)

I got a bunch of pictures this year but I think I have it narrowed down to maybe four or five.

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players

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pirate

.....see what I mean about the GREEN???

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of them all!!!

!!!!!joyous week!!!!!

My friend, Terri, is leaving in just 2 DAYS for China to pick up her baby girl!!! I'm so, so excited! We've waited with her. We've cried with her. We've waited and cried with her. For these 6 long years. (In 'we' I mean our crazy, loopy loop!) And in just a few days she'll be leaving to go get her baby girl and finally bring her home. My insides feel all jiggly thinking about it. I am so truely happy for you, my friend!

I can't believe I neglected my poor blog for a whole week! It's just crazy around here sometimes. Jen has school projects. (When does she NOT is the question!?!) We have tkd belt testing coming up on the 9th so lots of work/practice goes toward that. Next week I'll be once again insuring there are no stains on those white uniforms. I'll be working to get them sparkling white along with their being creased and starched. Our dryer has gone out again. (*WHEN* will I have enough saved to buy a new one???) So, that means at the end of every Sunday, *after* I've put in a days work already, I must haul a zillion tons of dirty laundry out in public so I can wash and dry. *THEN* I must return home and hang, fold, and put away same said laundry. It's such a glamorous live that I live! :P

So, putting all the stress of the past week aside (starting a new job at the top of that list!)...

We got our COLD FRONT today!!! YAY WHEEE Time of OPEN ALL THE WINDOWS AND DOORS! TURN OFF THE A/C! ENJOY SOME FRESH AIR FOR A CHANGE! A-A-A-ACHOOOOOO (and yes, have the suffer the allergies along with it) The even better news than just the sheer joy of crisp, cool air, is the cooler temps mean lower water temps which mean very little chance of any hurricanes for the remainder of the season.

On a more serious note...I had the opportunity to watch the debate last night. Huckabee has been my favorite for awhile now but the debate last night cemented that a bit. My second favorite has got to be Romney. There are still some things there that I'm concerned about. I'd like to learn more about where they stand on a national ID card and a North American version of the European Union. I have strong feelings against both. I believe that it would be the wrong direction for the future of this great nation. I want my children to grow up to enjoy the same great country that represents freedom to the world and that I've know all my life.

Happy Tuesday!!!

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shhhhhh...I have a secret! My boys LOVED Transformers so while I was at the store this morning buying more relief from the never-ending allergies I picked up the new DVD. They are going to be so excited! I think I will make them wait. At least a few days anyway. Or just maybe until Christmas. I haven't decided yet but I'm not sure I can wait until Christmas.

I'm still working on Jen's bright neon green scrubs. I'm almost finished with the last shirt so I may possibly finish that up today. I had to repair Jeff's bookbag for the second time. The kid that sits next to him keeps pulling off the gold rope. grrrrrr He says the kid promised not to do it again but if he does I guess I'll be making him another bag or finding a way to sew the rope on vs gluing.

moan, groan, grumble, grumble

I somehow somewhere managed to catch someone's cold. I had ARD meetings Thursday and Jeff's teacher was sick and then Friday I subbed and one of the kids sniffling all day. But no matter where I got it, I did, and now and am misearble. And when I don't feel well, I am usually in a very grumpy mood. I need prayers for not just for the illness but also for my grumbling, grouchy spirit.

Other than all that boring stuff, I have been sewing! Jen has clinicals for her health sciences class and must have an exact brand in the exact color that the class chose at the end of last year. Bright NEON apple green. She says she looks like a tree. lol We quickly ran into problems. The brand doesn't sell skirts in that color. The shirts had to be special ordered so we ordered a couple the middle of August. Well, here it is two months later and the shirts *still no shirts. I searched around and found neon green fabric that is a surprisingly close match bought that and a pattern to make scrubs. I did, however, let it sit until Jen, in a very panic sounding voice, said "Mom! I *have to have them THIS Tuesday!" Anyway, long story short, I've spent every moment of my free time the past couple of days sewing one set of bright neon green scrubs. She has clinicals Tuesdays and Wednesdays so I must now make another set. I won't have any free time to sew until Friday so she'll just have to make it work this week. I do need to get a pic of her, though. My baby girl is too cute! lol