six words that describe you

My sister is really smart. She also happens to be a teacher, and recently gave this assignment to her students. I'm completely fascinated with this assignment. I keep on thinking of six words that describe other people.

My sister made this fancy presentation with music and everything, with tons of great examples of this assignment. I'll post it, if I can get her permission and figure out how to put videos on this here blog.

Till then, this is what I came up with.

'Labeled by the school. Succeeding anyway.'

This assignment can be powerful!

I sit around all the time now, and try to think up some great words to describe my life. I've discovered that my six words can change daily. Even hourly, or by the minute depending on what kind of day I'm having.

I think the best one so far has got to be:

'my life is not for everyone.'

Now, I just need some really great picture of me hanging upside down from the monkey bars, wearing a prom dress, shorts and some great pair of red sneaks. Just as soon as I make that happen, I'll post it. Until then.....

Listing the really annoying.

In no particular order:

1. Reading the TV guide to me as I am also reading it and scrolling down. Who here remembers the TV Guide that used to come in the Sunday paper? I do. At my house, we saved that TV Guide, and no one dare lose it! We studied it from front cover to back, marking our favorite shows, and flagging things not to be forgotten. NOW, we have the interactive TV Guide scrolling down the TV in real time. YAY! Or not. Guess what children? I can read it. I will select something I like without you narrating the actual scroll down. Get busy with the shutting up.

2. Don’t poke me in the shoulder. Really? Don’t poke me anywhere, but ESPECIALLY in the shoulder. ‘nuf said.

3. Don’t walk in front of me, and then stop. I’m pretty sure I’ve complained about this behavior before, but it didn’t seem to work then, so I’ll try one more jaunt down the bitchy alley. Walk beside me, or wait for me in the car.

4. If you’d like to ask me a question about what activities I’ve got scheduled, just come right out with the question. Don’t quiz me first, to see if I might be available. Put on your big girl panties, and come right out with the request, and then take the response I give you. Guilt is a two way street, and I’m really getting good at it. Plus, it rarely works on me, because I’m mostly mean.

5. If I’d like to wish you a ‘Happy Holidays’, it’s not because I don’t love Jesus. ‘Merry Christmas’ to you, and also ‘Happy New Year’, but since I’m mostly lazy, ‘Happy Holidays’ covers everything with fewer words. I won’t be judged by you or your misguided holiday wishes. You can go right ahead and frown and scowl at my ‘Happy Holidays’, but you’re missing the point.

My life isn’t for everyone.

Get ready for a more honest blog.

Today's the day.

On this date in history, back in 1998.... our family went from 'double team' defense to the 'zone' defense. Our small family of three, suddenly jumped to five! It was so long ago, that I don't even have any tiny baby pictures on CD.

Please enjoy these snap shots from 2005. This is what basketball looked like... way back then.





Basketball looks more like this now.




Happy Birthday to a couple of pretty terrific boys!



I'll text you later!

Adventures in Substitute Teaching: Cool Handshakes

I can't believe how long it's been since I last shared an episode of Adventures in Substitute Teaching! I have a fun story to tell you.

Scene: Elementary Math class.

Our task today was fun and full of learning. I was entertaining while the children learned about bar graphs. Sometimes, there's that one little boy that will finish early. He did. So, with just a few minutes left in the class, he asked if he could draw. I said, sure, but just for three minutes.

Sure enough, at the end of three minutes, he brought me a beautifully drawn paper.... for me to keep. It said, '3 Minutes'. He then left for the next class, bidding me farewell by saying, 'later, Rock star.'

I love a sense of humor in 4th grade.

A sense of humor is a good thing to have in the 5th grade as well.

A precious face told me how to spell his name today. He sounded it out through a thick phonics lisp. Seriously, twice, just so I understood.

One extremely cool 10 point handshake later, and the class was over. Days as delightful as this make me wonder why the real teacher ever leaves.

Is it too early?

I made all these cards.






None of them are the card that I'm mailing out.

Merry Christmas!

I scrap moments in life... sometimes I use the computer.

Hello block stalkers.....

I'm so very sorry for leaving this delightful blog unattended. It's been twenty-bazillion days since my last post. I still don't have any fun stories to tell, or any advice to give.

I've stopped going to Walmart, so those adventures are over.

I guess I'll just share a scrapbook page that I digitally made with My Digital Studio software. I love, LOVE this page.



I posted it on the lovely Facebook for all my friends and family to admire. Some liked it, some didn't.

Some people are wondering about the state of mental health at our house.

Whatever.

No questions or comments regarding mental health will be accepted at this time.

Maybe I Need Prayer...

I'll keep this short and sweet....

Lately, I've been either witness-to or 'almost'-involved-in strange and/or dangerous traffic situations.  And I do mean strange/dangerous!

• First, there was the motorcycle driving TOWARD me on a major 4 lane divided highway!  
• Then, there was the college girl who seemed to believe that if one is going to make an illegal U-turn, one totally has the right-of-way...regardless of how close on-coming traffic may be (like close enough for me to know that "stupid college girl driver" was wearing knock-off Chanel sunglasses).  Did I mention that she also gave me props by signaling that I'm "#1?" 
• Next was the dufus pair of teenage drivers drag-racing down a busy major city street, swerving around buses no less!

Finally, the straw that made the camel cuss.......(p.s.  I'm the 'camel,' but there're no physical similarities).....

So I stopped at "The Jesus Store" to check out the latest Beth Moore bible study and chat with my Saturday night Christian radio show co-host.  After a very pleasant visit and peaceful browse around the store, I head to the school to pick up my blessed angel-babies (no sarcasm intended......maybe).  

Picture it:  I'm pulling out of the parking lot.  I'm making a left hand turn onto the major roadway.  There's a car behind me pulling out and heading the same direction (to the left, to the left--to quote Beyonce).  All of a sudden, the car behind me guns her engine and is trying to speed around me and PASS me WHILE making this left hand turn!!!!

Being the staunch Christian woman that I am, I promptly speed up, turn to meet her daring stare, and I shout out (never mind that the windows were rolled up), "B!%@H!!!"

That's when I decided two things:  

1st:  Mr. Analytical needs to get a higher paying job.  I'm getting rid of my car, buying another one with a comfy and roomy backseat and darkly tinted windows,  and I'm hiring a driver.....that's gonna require some 'green.'

2nd:  I think I need prayer.

Famous Last Words

It was all Moonpie's idea!




Moonpie, is the nickname I've given to our neighbor/best friend/leader of the good ideas. He earned his nickname by totally devouring a single giant moonpie in only 2 1/2 bites. No lie. The kid's got skills.




This is what happens when you don't have enough sidewalks in your town. Blatant shenanigans in the middle of the road.



As it turned out, Fox was WAY harder to pull.




"CAR!"



Yeah, not really. There weren't any cars driving that day.




When an idea is this good..... older brothers get involved.



One of these days, a girlfriend is gonna come along, and ruin all our fun.

Do you know what's in your heart?

Folks, I'm not talking about heart disease or anything like that. I'm wondering... do you know what's in your heart?

I do. I know and love Jesus. That's in my heart. If He's not in your heart, we can talk about that.

Let's get to some smaller ideas. Is home in your heart? Maybe. Lately, I haven't felt very much at home in my community or at my school or at my church. These are all just places, but always before, I held them in my heart. Really cherishing them. I always saw myself growing old here with the Bossman. The two of us wiping gin dust from the counter for the rest of our lives. Now, that's not necessarily what I see. I wonder where we might park our rocking chairs. I know that place will have flawed neighbors too. All places have their own flaws.

I'm ready to tell you a true story. I broke the law. I was given a ticket. I'm not above the law, not at all, and I've already paid my ticket. I wouldn't for one moment fault the officer for pulling me over. It's true, I was going 25 in a 20. I got the ticket I deserved.

What makes me feel, 'not at home', is that the officer didn't treat me like a neighbor. He is literally, in a physical sense, my neighbor. I guess it's too much for me to expect that I would be treated like a neighbor, because I broke the law.

The ladies in the office where I paid the ticket didn't treat me like a neighbor either. That sort of hurt my feelings. I guess if you speed, you're not a neighbor anymore?

I don't feel at home at my school right now either. There aren't a lot of specific examples of 'why', it's just a feeling I have. Maybe I'm being too sensitive. Maybe I expect too much. I promise, I'm not hormonal. I'm just sharing what's in my heart right now.

I certainly don't feel at home or part of a family at my church. There are many changes happening within our church's ministries and changes can be upsetting. It's hard to always remember that church people are just people, and people are flawed. I wonder how the apostles traveled around so much with Jesus, talking to all the church people without constantly being frustrated. They were just people. In the end, many betrayed Jesus.

I'm not saying I'm Jesus. Please don't read that in this post. I know I'm just a person, with my own list of flaws. In fact, some say it's a really long list. Now, that list includes 'lady who speeds.'

I guess some people will still consider me a neighbor, even with the speeding ticket. Some people will gossip about me. That's alright too. Some people will prove to me that they aren't now, and never really were my neighbor. That information is probably good for me to learn now.

I think that people at my school and church will also, over time, prove to me if I'm part of their family, or any sort of a neighbor. I think I'll also learn if I'm a good neighbor. Maybe, I'm not.

I know what's in my heart. I know home is in there. Just now, without the walls. Maybe that's the blessing I needed to learn.

and the Walmart saga continues.....

If you're wondering how to make your trip to the Walmart about ninety-eleven-billion times better, then all you need to add is a buggy with zero working tires and two children.

Seriously, I tried about three different buggies and none of them worked. I finally settled on the buggy I had my hand on when the jerk-dude behind me told me to just pick one. Nice. Thanks.

Fox asked no less than fifty times if I would buy him a strobe light. No. Fifty-one times no.

I don't know why he wants one, but we're in the business of avoiding seizures around here. That was the closing sentence to the monologue in the Walmart after the last no. Observers were impressed. At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

I just found out that you must have a minimum of one facial piercing to work the check out line at the Walmart. That's what I can only assume because all the checkers today had something sharp in their face.

And, Mav carried the eggs. The giant thirty-two count egg container. He carried it. Only because I am completely inept when it comes to stacking groceries into the buggy. At least, that's what he told me whilst he carried the eggs. Something about them being crushed, and him starving to death for an entire week. Observers were impressed.

There's got to be a better way to buy groceries.

Now we know.

We didn't know what we were missing. We'd never 'won' a Fair Fish.

'Those fish never last more than a week,' Amy promised. 'Sometimes, they don't even survive the car ride home!' Sarah swore. It's a win-win situation. We must allow the boys an opportunity to experience a Fair Fish.

And so, a plan was hatched.

It was decided that we would meet up with Sarah, Amy and Matt at the Fair. We'd eat some food, win a fair fish or two, and the experience would be complete. One more thing to check off the bucket list.

Approximately five minutes and $7 later, two spectacular gold fish were bagged up and in our hands. The first, a lovely gold girl with a white tail, was named Amy-fish. The second, more solid gold, but equally lovely, was named Sarah-fish.



Here's some things that we didn't consider:
1. Someone must hold the 'bag-o-fish' until it dies, or we get home.
2. What if the fish doesn't die?

I think we should take these topics one at a time. First, we all mainly took turns holding the bags-o-fish. We observed Amy-fish looking a little 'green around the gills' and Sarah-fish swimming happily. (Naturally, bets were placed on who would die first.) The sharing of the bag holding continued until it was time to load up and go home. At that time, I carefully placed both bags-o-fish in the passenger side of the air conditioned pick up truck while we loaded the trailer. The entire time, we all carefully tiptoed when near that door in hopes the fish bags would remain standing.

We believe Amy-fish enjoyed the air conditioning and the truck ride home, but she didn't survive very many hours out of the bag. Typical Fair fish experience complete.

Sarah-fish still lives! It's been almost three weeks, we all talk to her as we pass her bowl. She is happily swimming around a new habitat, and demands food frequently. Are we emotionally attached to a Fair Fish? Fox believes we have shattered the life expectancy of any Fair fish, ever, in as long as those records have been kept.

Every morning he proclaims, 'Sarah-fish still lives!'

Unusual Fair fish experience still underway. See blog stalkers? You just never know what you'll get. Isn't that lovely?

....Because I'm Wearing Red!

Today I'm wearing red.  I never wear red.  But, today I'm wearing red.  That is like total permission to free my actions from any inhibition because I'm wearing red.

Last week, I didn't wear red, because I never wear red.  I did wear black...but I wear black ALOT!  It's slimming....not that I need it.....

Last week, I attended the funeral of a lovely, generous, God-fearing, Christian woman--who I did not know (while I have NOT taken to spending my free time funeral-crashing--albeit, that's not an altogether inappropriate idea.  I am a wonderful consoler & encourager--it is true that I did not personally know this wonderful woman...she was the grandmother of a very dear friend.), but share a personal family-like connection.

In hindsight, I really should've worn red to this beautifully orchestrated affair.  As it turns out, my panty-girdle was a wee snug, my dress slightly clingy--probably because the wee snug panty-girdle caused a fury of static all up in the underside of my dress--and my new, platform-closed-toe stilettos were cutting off the circulation to this and that little piggy!  In other words, if you didn't look too closely, I looked HOT!


After sitting for almost 2 hours and hearing 6 eulogies of this marvelous woman (...and let me just say, probably, there won't even BE 6 people at my funeral--none of my teacher friends will be able to get subs--, much less 6 people who have such glowing memories and thoughts of me to share!), not only did I realize that I am totally screwed in the "doin' good deeds and earning my jewels in my crown" department, but I can no longer feel my toes and when I stand my dress will be statically suctioned to my @$$!!!!  From this point, I am no longer in control of, or responsible for, my conversation and behavior......from badly dressed to worse behaved!


With no blood circulating to my brain, I manage to make my way to the reception fairly close to the last of those to leave the sanctuary.  Somehow, though, I manage to be first in line at the refreshment tables....FIRST.  As in "before the family" FIRST!  No apologies were uttered by my numb lips, either!


Having a few calories in me, the blood begins to better circulate from my now puffy cankles--because that's just how my legs roll...after all, that's where all my height is...--and I feel slightly better and decide that conversation will do us all well.  *Please note, simply because my blood is circulating above my knee caps does NOT mean that oxygen has made it's way sufficiently to my brain.*


I find myself standing with a perfectly lovely couple--the "Stills" we'll call them--who I have known and respected for many years now.  They have been married for 35+ years and remind me of a nice combo of the Cleavers and the Cunninghams (God rest Mr. C's soul).  He's very kind, but very firm in his expectations and she's willingly supportive of him in all his expectations.  And this, y'all, is where the whole affair goes to hell in a handbag for me.....

Me:  OMG!  I hardly recognized you!  You've let your hair grow and it has gotten SO long!  I love it!


Mrs. Still:  Well, thank you.  Mr. Still likes it like this and asked me to grow it out, so I've just let it grow.  I figure I've worn it the way I wanted for 35 years, I could let it grow long and wear it the way he wants it for some years.


Me (giggling my un-oxygenated giggle):  GURL!  I'd tell Mr. Analytical "when you can GROW hair on your now bald head, YOU can tell me how YOU want for ME to wear MY hair!"  (.....un-oxygenated and anxious giggles continue.........)


Mrs. Still:  ....................*silence*.................*uncomfortable stares*.....................


Conversation concluded.....................I decided to take that opportunity to bid my farewells, shuck my stilettos, and exit the church....barefooted.....


I told y'all I shoulda worn red.

I'm just showing off.

This is me, just sharing my stuff again.

I'm addicted to something new..... fabric. Not just any fabric, but specifically the 'Deck the Halls' designer fabric in the new Stampin' UP! Catalog.

Check this out:



and, also this!




Get a closer look.



I've always loved to scrap, but this fabric coordinates perfectly with the paper and the card stock and the stamp sets, and it makes everything all lovely and easy. Super pretty with extra texture! and, NO SEWING!!

I'm just all clever with the sticky sheets and adhesive paper.

You're welcome.

Some Stuff

Sometimes, I make stuff.



I even like to make a lot of stuff for other people! I enjoy it! Makes me feel like I brightened some one's day.



Sometimes, the stuff is super simple. Sometimes, the stuff is moderately simple. Bottom line is.... I CAN make stuff.

PrissE and I write stuff for this blog. Funny stuff. Sometimes, super funny. Sometimes, only funny to us. Bottom line is... we CAN write some stuff.




Fortunately for me, I have surrounded myself with a community of friends that are super talented! Super funny! Super smart! And, not just with the simple stuff..... sometimes, really hard stuff.

This friend has some ideas that will blow your socks off!! Not hard stuff. Just great stuff for your daily life. She enjoys this stuff, and I love that about her. She brightens my day, and gives me ideas on how to make my life better.




I have another friend who is a young mother. She is inspiring to me. Recently, my sweet little Mav had some grade issues at school. In order to 'motivate' him to strive for excellence, the Bossman and I decided to limit his sweets intake. Mav's reply was short, but to the point. "You're trying to starve me to death!"

I had those words ringing in my ears when I read my friend's inspiring post about lunches. Who knew? I didn't even know what a bento box was!



I have this friend, who is certain that NO ONE reads her blog. She's my fearless Stampin' UP! leader! She's bossy, skinny and cute. Somehow, I've been able to look past those things and love her anyway! (smile) She reminds me daily that I'm the only One of Me there is. That's important. That's special. That's worthy. AND.... that's enough.



I'm really lucky, because I have a whole bunch of other friends (that don't have blogs) that inspire me to be a better person on a daily basis. The love me even when I come up short. They come to my classes even when they've already made that project and while they're there.... they love it just as much as the first time.

The moral of this story is simple. Share your stuff.

Week in Review: A list of oddities

1. I have received 23 text messages from my teenager in the past two days with zero words spelled correctly. I can read all of them.

2. I found out that 5th grade math is too hard for me.

3. One of my pre teens just informed me that his nostrils whisper to him and tell him to raise his arms up and wave them around during classes at school when he is bored.

4. My other pre teen has started greeting me by saying, 'Hey baby, how 'ya doin'?' Complete with nostril flare.

5. I tripped walking in flip flops. Twice.

6. It's cool enough now, that I've worn jeans two days in a row. Both of those days, my husband told me I had a 'nice ass'.

7. Three boys asked me to paint green/black RHS on their chests for the Friday night football game.



Not these three.

Teachers Matter

Late last night, just before bedtime, Mav brought me a stack of papers all clipped together and just sorta tossed them at me.... 'Here.... it's everything we did in Mrs. C's English class the whole first six weeks, Fox threw his away. We're done with them.'

I thought, OK, whatever... tucked the little boy in bed then flipped through the papers. First of all, Mrs. C writes funny little messages on the papers, that was entertaining! Then, I read one of the 'letter' assignments, and just knew I wanted to share it.

Teachers, just in case you ever wondered if you made a difference in a child's life, please, don't give up. You are important, and it does matter.

Dear Mrs. Coleman,

How are you? How is your school going? You haven't missed me, have you?

My school year is going really good, and I think that I am Mrs. C's favorite student. My favorite class is art because we get to draw. My second favorite class is band because it is fun to play the saxophone. Outside of school, my dad is taking me dove hunting a lot.

You need to talk to my mom on Facebook. Until I walk by your classroom, I guess I should say, 'bye'.

Let me just also tell you that Mav asks once a week if he can visit Mrs. Coleman. She's just one of the teachers in our lives that have made a difference.

Mrs. C gave a different assignment earlier in the six weeks. I'm not sure all the details, but she asked them to write something about a favorite teacher. Neither of them wrote about PrissE (who is a fabulous teacher!) I quizzed them later why they didn't choose PrissE?

They answered with great disgust, 'She never taught US!'




And with that, we know one of the things PrissE will never live down.... a promise to teach a set of twins, that didn't happen, and they will never forget!

** Yes, I know the photo is of three sixth graders, and that's NOT a set of twins, but you've been reading this blog long enough to know that two of them are the twins, and that other one is Mr. D. Plus, it's a cute picture of boys too big for a slide.

** Note to readers... Mrs. Coleman is a real person, real teacher, and all around real awesome person to know. I still love her even though Weight Watchers Points took all her fluff away! Her name has been left the same so that all of you will go up to her and give her a huge hug!

Life is short, wear striped panties.

SEVERAL months ago, PrissE and I were spending a lovely sun-filled day at the pool with our whole bunch of children, when one of PrissE's friends from her new school stopped by. We visited some, had the proper introductions (I can't remember her name now) and said goodbye.

As PrissE's new school friend left, I commented that as a grown woman, shouldn't that lady know that she was wearing striped panties underneath her very stylish white Bermuda shorts?

The two of us laughed.... only briefly, as we pondered how many people would see that friend all over town as she ran her errands. Otherwise, perfectly made up, and obviously ready for a fun-filled summer afternoon of activities.

It was a brief moment in our lives, but I remember it.

Yesterday, I knew it was laundry day because there was ONE lone pair of panties in my drawer. I was very thankful that one pair was left, and being proud of general good hygiene sense, I slipped that pair of panties on. I finished off my Saturday outfit with some turquoise capri pants, a cute red t shirt, and my new sneaks before dashing to the grocery store.

I went to Walgreens, Michael's, the gas station and the United Grocery store, before heading home with my carload of purchases. It was only as I was unloading the car that a child asked me if I always wore striped panties on Saturday.

I just paused briefly before replying,

'Not always.... today is a special Saturday.'

just because

the truth is always the truth

manipulating the truth makes it a lie

omitting a fact

or

withholding information

isn't the truth

the lie ruins trust

love needs trust

truth is love

A Blog Divided

Oh, Honeeeeey!  I'm Hooooome!!!  That's right, Blog-Stalkers!  PrissE is in the HazzOuse (that's totally cool talk for 'house')!!!

...And let me tell you, it has been a crazy, fun, busy, roller coaster of a month!  In fact, I'm pretty sure that the time's gone by so fast since I was but a mere 38-year-old (because remember? my 39th birthday was only a month ago?) that I'll be a 'Fabulous 40' in less than a year!  Oh.  Wait.  I'm sensing that math isn't computing....

Speaking of my 39th birthday, one of my wonderful presents was a pair of tickets to my favorite sports-event of the whole entire year (Mr. Analytical got a pair of the same tickets for his birthday, too!  2 + 2 = 4!  Betcha didn't know today's post was going to be so arithmetically inundated!?)!!!  Just take a gander at these babies!!

Jealous much????  You know you are!

Well, now we're faced with the fact that we have 4 tickets and 2 grown ups between the 2 of us.....whoever shall we take with us to the most fantastic football game ever??  They've gotta be a couple we have a blast with any time we're together.  They've gotta be tough, too.  It's hot at that game for a while, then it gets cool in the night air....and let's not forget the crowd and dumb drunk fans that give the rest of us elegantly loyal fans a bad rap!  (P.S.  Hey, drunk fan!  Yeah, you.  I got video of you....so you might wanna NOT "throw a boot" just in case you need to run, cuz your mom won't be happy what with all the bad-word-bombs you're dropping and the nasty tobacco spit dripping from your face!)

WHO ELSE WOULD WE TAKE??!!  None other than THE BOSSMAN & SASSY!!!!  DUH!

And check us out!  We aren't even sportin' the same 'fan-fare,' yet here we are, all civilized, cruising around the tail-gating party and getting caught in photo ops!  (Also, notice the random-red-raider-fan...)

When we finally make it to our seats, we're just as marvelously well-behaved as we show kindness to all around us and display our sportsman-like support for our favorite teams!  What a wonderful night was had by all!  Especially all who were wearing the Burnt Orange!  And, thanks for being such AWESOME friends and 'fans in the minority,' Bossman & Sassy!

....On a side note:  Here's another mathematical equation for you (..and no.  it's not about anyone in our 4-some..):  13 Girls (all under the age of 12) + 10 Dads (most of whom were over the age of 35) + 1 Flask (I don't know it's age) + All the Junk Food the Dads would buy (again, not sure of the ages of the food...hopefully not expired!) = ?????????
     *Answer:  2 (maybe 3, depending on how many are on the plane) clogged toilets and extra charges for using excessive numbers of 'airsick' bags on the flight back to Austin!*

HOOK 'EM HORNS!!! 

 

Monday Morning Randomography

Here I am! I know. It's been too long since I've posted. Sorry for that. Time just seems to get away from me. Nothing too terribly exciting to write about even now, but I wanted you all to know I didn't die in a horrible Homecoming Football incident.

So, you get my rambling Monday thoughts.

Shall I go to the Walmart today or not? Fox requested I purchase, 'that soft toilet paper' next time I go to the store. Is that a funny enough request?

I had a brief moment of questionable parenting this morning in the car, on the way to school. Jag's allergies are OUT. OF. CONTROL. This morning in the car, I discovered he in fact, did NOT take the allergy medicine this morning. Instead of turning around to make his life better today, I spent the rest of the drive to school putting it, 'on record' that I had told him AT LEAST 3 times this morning to take the allergy medicine. I think it went a little something like this:

Okay, for the record, I just want it said out loud, that I did, in fact, tell you a minimum of THREE times this morning to take that allergy medicine. Just to be clear, even after those THREE requests, you still did NOT take any medicine, so you will be miserable all day today with a snotty nose. Possibly even a headache at some point. You need to recognize that this could have been avoided if you would have just done as I told you the FIRST time. Is everyone hearing me? Am I clear? This allergy problem is Jag's own fault.

I feel the sudden need to update you a little with some 'Tales from the Trainer's Pack.' Jag continues to be the student trainer for the football team. We just completed a very busy week of Homecoming activities topped off with the football game. One player was injured seriously, and one player had a bad attitude problem on the sidelines. Jag takes all these things really personally. Trying to comfort the injured player and trying to encourage the bad attitude. I just love watching him do these things. He seems to have found his 'niche'. I hope he's also making some great friends.




(These football game pictures do not picture the injured player or the attitude issue. Some things teens need to work out without blog interference.)


Those other little boys are having a wonderful time in Junior High. They seem to take everything in stride. Great attitudes. Great friends. Great environment. They will begin practice for fall basketball today. I can't wait to watch those games in the coming months.




A few weekends ago, I had the pleasure and privilege to take a couple of my wonderful friends to a Stampin' UP! regional event. It was a quick trip, full of wonderful information from Stampin' UP!. My guests were able to see first hand why I love my company so much.




Most importantly, we didn't perish on the busy metroplex freeways. I don't know how I got to be this old without ever driving on them, but I was proud of myself for a successful journey.

Random Monday mornings. So very nice.

We Remember

Here at Tales, we remember.  We will never forget.  We appreciate the sacrifice, unmitigated courage, and selfless service.  "Thank you" isn't enough, but, Thank You.  

Today, we pray the scriptures Lamentations 3: 20-23 & Romans 8: 28-39 for our nation & those we lost.  We support your families and friends in prayer.

We do remember.  We thank God for you.

  

Morning Errands with a Former Non-Blonde.

Today's first stop is the oil change place. Easy enough. I pull in and roll my car window down. The guy greets me and asks me a question, 'Mornin', here for an oil change?'

(Okay, I'll play along.)

'You bet! I also need the air in my tires checked. I think these two are low.' (As I point to the two driver's side tires.) Second guy says to me, 'Hey! Did you know these two tires are low?' (I wonder.... is he giving me an unsolicited commentary on my weight? Is PrissE trying to 'punk' me? What's happening?)

(All bets are off now.)

I tell him, 'Yep! I sure did! That's why I came in here! Guess what? Did you know that you're holding an air hose?' Man stands there, grinning, with a puzzled look on his face and says, 'Yes Ma'am.' So I tell him, 'See? It's like destiny has brought us together.... me, with my low tires, and you, with your air hose. See what you can do.'

All the time, I'm thinking to myself.... where's Bill Engval when you need him. (The 'Here's your sign' guy.)

Next stop.... well, all the rest of the stops were pretty uneventful. Boring even. I could make some stuff up to tell you. It might even be slightly funny, but it wouldn't feel real. I'm dedicated to the honesty of today's errands.

That first stop at the oil change place has kept me in a grin all morning long! How much do we love the oil change guys!? Grimy hands, saggy pants, and always big grins on their faces. Sometimes, holding their sign.

Givin' Him Props...

Here, at TftC, August & September are HUGE birthday months:  first, Oma's...then, PrissE's...then, Meg's...then............................................

Mr. Analytical's!!

(Actually, Meg & Mr. Analytical SHARE the same birthday, but BOTH deserve their day in the spotlight...So today we say to Mr. Analytical...)

HAPPY September 6th BIRTHDAY, MR. ANALYTICAL!

  

We LOVE YOU, Party Animal!!

She always calls me Sister.

Today is her birthday. Happy Birthday Little Sister! Hurry up and get married, so I can have a niece and she can call me 'Aunt Sister.'

It's a dream of mine.