The Sharp End

Lessons from 2010

2009-12-31T18:58:00.002-06:00

I made a new years resolution several years ago not to make new years resolutions. I mean, how bad is it to break a promise to yourself! So this New Years Eve here are my lessons learned in 2009 -

1) Laughter can so much better than yelling.

2) You can be mistaken for a hobo in Palmer, TX.

3) The sky really does turn green before the tornado touches down.

4) There is never any magical free time with three kids in the house.

5) If one is responsible for buying his own socs he will wear them till they look like a doily.

6) If I am doing the laundry I can throw the doily socks away.

7) Ice, a plastic kiddy pool and a pick ax are a dangerous combination.

8) You can cut your finger with a butter knife.

9) Friends don't necessary FORGET you, they just may not communicate well.

10) It is always good to go RIGHT at Jesus.

Christmas Time Quiet

2009-12-23T23:31:00.003-06:00

The funny thing about my house is that is always really quiet around Christmas time. David is gone at work and we have already opened our gifts so there is not much going on. So I have time on my hands. With this time I think about what has happened this past year; I plan for next year; I start backing up all my photos onto DVDs; and I do a form of winter cleaning ( I already have 3 boxes ready for goodwill). I guess the strangest thing I thought about this year was friends. How do you define a friend? Is it by how much you do together? Have you shared a meal? How much you know about them? Did you send a Christmas card to them? Are you in their contact list on their cell phone? Is there a multi-teared friend classification chart we are suppose to be following?

With our busy, crazy lives - how do you be a friend? How do you support and help? I have something like 250 "friends" on facebook, admittedly about 20 are family so they don't count. So of the 230 left how many would consider me a friend? If you were friends 22 years ago but you haven't talked since then except on facebook are you still friends? Would they accept my help if I offered it? Would I accept theirs if it were offered? When you call to talk do they think you are just being nosey? One of my friends that I had known since 7th grade died this year and we had been emailing back and forth through facebook. Why didn't she reach out to me when she was desparate?

The kids definition of friend is varied. Coco can walk into a room of strangers and announces "Look at all my new friends!" Others walk into a room of people and say "They all hate me." In one instance, a child of mine introduced me to his "friend" - When I asked him later how he knew the friend, he said "Oh we have played football against each other for the last couple years." Sometimes I feel like I am in the middle of that, they don't like me or hate me, they basically just acknowledge I exist, like a commercial on prime time tv.

I know in my lifetime I have have many people come and go. Some I hear from, some I don't. Those I don't hear from I wonder if we were ever really friends or if we just co-existed in some brief period of life - or if I made them mad and didn't know it (I know your shocked). I think of them and miss them. Then there are those who tell me all about what a great friendship we had or what a wonderful memory I helped create and I have no idea what they are talking about (must be the age or the grey hair).

I guess what it boils down is not what you can get from a friendship but what you can give.

When I need a laugh...

2009-11-03T09:49:00.001-06:00

Sometimes you just want to laugh. When I need that I either go to www.failblog.org OR www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com you GOTTA read the captions!!!!!!!!

Cell Phone Etiquette #5 - Hello, I have Caller ID

2009-10-17T13:11:00.002-05:00

I think this will be my last installment of Cell Phone Etiquette. It will cover TWO items...

If I am standing talking to you and your cell phone rings it is rude to answer it!!!! I mean, I AM THERE. WE ARE TALKING. It would be like if someone just walked over and started talking in the middle of our conversation. Don't answer your phone. There are a very few exceptions for this but as a rule of thumb, the LIVE person should trump the phone, every time. What if you were in the Doctors office and the MD was examining you and right in the middle of the exam his phone rang and he answered it. You would be offended. Trust me, if you answer your phone while I am talking to you, I WILL CALL YOU ON MY CELL PHONE RIGHT THEN!!!

This brings me to another issue, I have texting and caller ID on my cell. If you call, you don't have to leave a message with your phone number unless you want me to call you back at a different number. If you just are distributing info, just text me the facts.

Cell Phone Etiquette #4 - LOL

2009-10-16T23:14:00.000-05:00

Some people may not understand this post - so if you don't just stay in your bubble and trust me. I am no a moron. I am not technically challanged. I actually can pwn you at most online games and programs. DO NOT text me LOL speak that stands for profanity. I know OMG - doesn't mean "oh my goodness" and I know what WTF and LMAO stands for. If you wouldn't say it to your mother, don't LOL text me stuff that stands for cuss words! I know all the lingo and I even know LOL from the military from before you could dial a phone!
Use things like WITW for What in the world and ROTFLMBO - Rolling on the floor laughing my butt off!

A glimpse into my mind

2009-10-15T20:14:00.002-05:00

Okay - we are taking a break from etiquette lessons to reflect on WHY it is scary to be in my head.

One evening I was early to pick up Nicole from gymnastics. I was standing down stairs, looking through the glass and a couple other people were milling about, a Dad and a Mom (I kinda know the Mom). So they were talking about this and that and somehow got on the subject of movies. They were talking about the new Scrooge.

The Dad made this statement "That new Scrooge movie looks scary and I think it will be good with Jim Carrey in it."
This is what I heard "That new Scrooge movie looks scary and I think it will be good with Tim Curry in it"

They continue to talk about the movie and I start getting these images of Scrooge wearing a teady, fishnet hose and high heals. I finally couldn't take it anymore and so I said -
"I just can't go see a movie with him in it because I just see fishnet and high heals on the elevator". The guy looks at me for a minute and starts laughing.... he said "JIM CARREY not TIM CURRY"

Cell Phone Etiquette #3 - Dead People, etc

2009-10-14T21:53:00.004-05:00

Do not text me that someone just died!
My family did this to me several months ago, even though it was an expected death, something felt so cold and impersonal about " Uncle died today".

There is certain news that SHOULD NOT be broken to somebody by TEXTING THEM and a sample list includes the following (feel free to add)
1. Somebody Dying
2. Telling CLOSE people (like your huband) your pregnant
3. Breaking up with someone - You need to get a backbone if you have to breakup with someone by texting them....
4. Firing someone - Again, backbone... put on your big girl panties and deal with it.
5. Telling your spouse/parents anything significant - eg, lost job, got in car accident, got ticket, kid failing school, house burned down, etc.

Technology is not something that empowers us to avoid emotions by avoiding confrontation. Can you imagine a funeral where the Eulogy is delivered by text? OR a wedding ... "I DO"....

Cell Phone Etiquette #2 - Check Out at a store

2009-10-13T21:45:00.002-05:00

When you are checking out in a line at any place that you are purchasing something -Do not talk on the phone while checking out.

The person WORKING is trying to do their JOB and they don't know if you are talking to them or to the magical person on the other end of the phone. The person on the other end of the phone gets the interjections that you do to try and have minimal interaction with UNLESS they ring up your order then they become the biggest moron you have ever seen... of course you are not standing in front of a mirror to see yourself all self involved with YOUR conversation and treating the person trying to do their JOB while you carry on in your own little world! Don't be on the cell phone to make your purchase.

Once the purchase is complete then immediately get back on your cell phone so you can wonder into oncoming cars in the parking lot since you are not paying attention texting someone while you are walking.

Cell Phone Etiquette #1 - Bathrooms

2009-10-12T21:32:00.004-05:00

To ALL cell phone users:

We live in an amazing time. We can watch live streaming video anywhere we are. We can text and email and calculate. We seem to gain an abundance of information from the world wide web.

Although we have all the technology in the world and we are beaming information into space and accessing data at the speed of light, we still need to remember the little things... like MANNERS AND ETIQUETTE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So here is Tracy Gillett's Rule of Etiquette Regarding Cell Phones - #1

When in a public bathroom DO NOT use your cell phone.
If it rings, DO NOT pick it up.
DO NOT call anyone with your cell phone.
DO NOT take any pictures or video IN the bathroom with your cell phone.
Matter of fact, there is little reason for you to bring your cell phone into the bathroom. It might slip out of your hands and fall into the toliet that you are using!
People may be waiting outside the stalls and you are taking extra time because you are having a conversation WHILE you are performing a bodily function AND we can hear every word, not to mention the person on the other end of the phone that can hear the toliets flushing while you are talking.
What is WRONG with you! Give yourself the 3 1/2 minutes it takes to go to the bathroom.
I stopped at a shell station in Bastrop and all 3 stalls were occupied. There was someone talking on the phone when I walked into the restroom and once she got off, someone else's phone rang...... and she answered it!!!

In order to train the general public that may not read my blog I am going to purchase one of those key chains that do the farting noises and anytime someone gets on a cell phone while I am in the bathroom, I am going to just start pushing buttons!!!!!!!!

Biblical Butterfly

2009-10-07T18:01:00.002-05:00

Did you know that butterflies are not mentioned in the Bible. The are incredibly beautiful and amazing creatures yet, not a word about butterflies.

Ants are mentioned, Proverbs 30:25
Flys are mentioned, Exodus 8:31
Crickets, Locust, Grasshoppers, Bees, Fleas, lice and Gnats are all mentioned, but no Butterfly.

How can you look as this incredible creation and doubt there is a God?
I am still wondering why lice made it in but butterfly was never mentioned.

2009 Swine Flu/H1N1 education

2009-09-17T11:34:00.002-05:00

So, here we are the beginning of another flu season. Sigh. Yes, the dreaded swine flu is still out there. It is already at in full swing in many places but the news is not covering it. Why? I don't know, I don't care. I have already had it, thank you very much. I tell you what, it was a rough 48 hours of headache I had to endure but I pulled through, along with my husband, son and daughter. Took some tylenol, drank a lot of fluid and moved on. Just like any other disease out there, it can affect other people differently. Some people may have a harder time with it or get some of the respiratory complications. The earlier in the season you catch it, the milder it is and you just built up a great immunity to it. Really - People ...... it's okay. It happens every year. It seems as if the US government wants to panic people into needing pubic healthcare!!

In the Gillett Compound:

We are NOT getting the H1N1 vaccination. More long term and dangerous complications arise from the vaccination than the flu.

We will NOT take tamiflu. Most people it cause terrible abdominal cramping. You have to take it for 7-10 days and I rather just have the flu for 3 days

We will NOT be wearing masks. People have been writing how the see people are wearing masks. Study after Study has shown that you might as well put a weasel on your head. It would have the same effectiveness as a mask and is much cuter.

I will be the first to let you know if any of the BAD mutating stuff shows up or if there is a change in the trend.

Luckiest Person EVER

2009-09-14T23:29:00.002-05:00

I have 3 email accounts...
tbsharp@hotmail.com I got it in September 15, 1996
tbsharp@yahoo.com I got it May 23, 1998
tbsharp@gmail.com I got it 2004 as one of the demo users

I also have 2 websites...
www.tbsharp.smugmug.com
www.tbsharp.blogspot.com

but I digress...

My hotmail account is my JUNK account. Whenever I go to a website that asks my email to get in, I give them my hotmail account. I haven't checked it in a while but when I went to it tonight I had 378 messages that weren't in the spam folder.

All I can tell ya is that I am going to need to make some room, because according to my emails I have about 65 DELL computers, 30 Walmart gift certificates, and 22 ipods that will be arriving any day. Top that off with several new careers in the medical field and multi-million dollar bank accounts from around the world that I need to baby sit..... I am one lucky woman.

Ever thought about what you are saying?

2009-09-10T08:45:00.002-05:00

I was watching tv the other night and someone said "...the world is her oyster." I have heard that phrase throughout my life and no matter what explination I get I still think it is stupid. I mean, oysters are smelly and gross. Most of them don't have pearls, if they do then they are not usually the nice round ones. If you eat an oyster, you don't enjoy the taste or even chew for that matter. So what are really saying with that phrase.. That the world is an ugly, mindless, sea slug that tastes horrible.

That brings me to another phrase I hear ALL the time... (make sure you say it with the soft southern draw) "Bless her heart.." That only translates to one thing for me "She is so stupid" Why are we blessing her heart, should be praying for her brain?

Then there is "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" - Huh? That would make for a weird world series don't ya think. Players changing sides to be on the winning team in game 4.

There are the southern phrases that people from other places don't understand... Like "... the dog out of" . I was talking to some kids on the yearbook staff last year and I told them I had taken this really good picture of the football team but I had to photoshop the dog out of it because of the shadows. The little blonde girl from california looked intently at the picture and asked "where was the dog?" What was bad, was the boy behind her was pointing out where he thought the dog had been.

FYI... THERE WAS NO DOG!

SOLD

2009-08-25T23:00:00.000-05:00

So far in the past 3 days I have sold David's truck and his boat.

Skuuul

2009-08-24T22:52:00.000-05:00

I am a bad parent.

The first day of school I drove up, opened the door and told the children to get out of the van.

No pictures

No pomp and circumstance just get out of the car.

I told John "Son, you are suppose to go to the Gym" he gets out of the car and heads for the lockers... The grammer principle stops him and tells him to go to the Gym. I roll down the window as I am driving by and Shout "I AM NOT A MORON" and speed off.

The second day of school we played hookie and went to the Houston Texans Training facility for the day.

The third day of school I email the administration concerning the variation in the policy and procedures which were subsequently removed from the website to be updates.

The fourth day of school John didn't show up till 10:40am because of a Drs. appointment

and

The fifth day of school I picked up Nicole because she had a sore throat.

In first grade they use to count to the 100th day of school. I am not sure we are going to make it!

Kamp Krazy Pt 3

2009-08-23T22:45:00.000-05:00

So we drive from St. Louise to Branson, pick up Zach, Pick up Nicole and head for Little Rock. You may remember my previous drive to Little Rock involving a tornado. I would casually bring up these memories to David as he drove through specific milestones. I would casually say things like "Oh there is the Wendys we grabbed burgers at" and "There is the house that the tree fell on during the TORNADO" and things like that.

We put David on a plane back to El Paso and head toward home. Drive Drive Drive. We make our last official stop in Greenville TX at a Chick Fille and I see people from our school there. Weird. Then I get to Palmer, TX (a small almost unmarked town south of Dallas) and call David.

Me: "Hi Honey"
He: "Where are you?"
Me: "In Palmer, TX"
He: "How would you know you are in Palmer, TX?"
Me: "Well, you don't soon forget where you were mistaken as a hobo!"

We get home, unload and go to bed.
Next day is the start of school stuff - meet the teacher, set up your locker, and on and on.
The following day is the first day of School!

Wow - No wonder I get tired.

I

Kamp Krazy Pt 2

2009-08-22T22:21:00.003-05:00

On the day before Nicole was getting checked into Kamp David got a phone call from work - the end of the converstation was that David had to go back to El Paso and work for three days. So we talked to the Kamp and it really wasn't going to be a problem and I took David to the Springfield airport.

While he was gone the Flu ran through the Kamp like wildfire. We ended up sending over 150 from our Kamp and 50 from another one during the last 8 days. It was CRAZY so I tried to help by doing paperwork and changing sheets and taking temperatures and loading vans, etc. John had his 13th birthday and I finally looked at them and said, I have to go be with my son. So he and I hopped on a Jet ski and spent a couple hours on the lake. We went back and had lunch in town and bought tickets to go to a show call the six. http://www.thesixshow.com/ IT was AWESOME. After the intermission, they did shoutouts. I had arranged to have John's name called. We were in the second row. he was DYING. It was a great show and the proclaimed Jesus on the stage.

Later, as an added surprise, we drove to St. Louise and hung out in that town. We went up the Arch and to the city museum. David flew back from his El Paso stent to St. Louise and took John and I to dinner at Ruth Chris then took John to the St. Louis Cardinals game that night. They sent me this picture. I was shocked at the number of people whos last name was Pujols!

Kamp Krazy Pt 1

2009-08-21T21:53:00.005-05:00

For a strange reason, in August, a Greatful Dead song echos in my head... Chorus goes something like "...what a looooong strange trip its been."

We had a wild time up at Kamp this year. First we arrived a day late because I just thought there were 32 days in July. Zachary was mortified that he missed his first day of Kamp but dove into the routine like a pro.

John, Nicole, David and I hung out the first week at K1. Nicole fell in love with the TAME racoon that the Coopers had. We fed it treats and brought him toys. No big trauma or drama except when Nicole busted her head on the diving board. I have been told it was really my fault. I was trying to teach Nicole all the "board" techniques that I knew. So we started with the front dive (for a dollar). She mastered that in under 10 minutes. Then we progressed to the back dive. Took her a couple more minutes to get it down but she was hitting the water perfect (for another dollar). Then we worked on the front flip. I started her on the tuck and roll to give her the technique, she did it almost perfect on the first try. (now I am out 3 dollars). So the last thing we were working on before lunch was the backflip. I cannot do a back flip but one of the counselors can, so she demonstrated it about 4 times for her. Co was getting it, but she was awefully close to the board. We tried to correct it but the last time she went straight up and cracked her head against the board on the way down. She swam to the side, crying, I lifted her out of the water and got her piggy back and started to head to the girls nurses station. David stopped me, looked at the wound and said it didn't need staples. That's nice. Blood is mixing with the pool water in her hair and is running down her face. We look like something out a horror flick. As I am going through the Kamp, EVERYONE is out. I have my head down watching my step because I put on Johns slippery flip flops and nicole is wet and covered in blood. I reach the door of the nursing station and I look up and the nurses say "oh its YOU". They thought I was a counselor. I lay her on the bed and look at their faces and the are all looking very sick until I say "it is her head not her face". They clean her up while I dry off outside looking through the window. When I went back to get her the first thing she said was "YOU OWE ME 4 BUCKS, THAT LAST ONE COUNTED"

Later that day both the Kamp directors came up and asked David if there was a little girl hurt today. Apparently half the kids told one set of Kamp directors it was one of their children hurt and the other kis told the other directors it was one of their children. It was so funny.

Random Updates and Info

2009-07-27T14:27:00.004-05:00

Okay -
1) I got my new lense in and there is nothing to take pictures of, no baseball, no football, no nothing.... I am going to take it to Kamp and practice there. We leave on Friday.

2) I am in the middle of packing everyone for Kamp. You just cant throw underwear into a bag

Zach is at Kamp for 2 weeks so everything goes in the trunk
Co is with me for a week and at Kamp for a week so I have to pack a weeks worth of clothes in the trunk and a week in the family bag
John is with me for both weeks so his stuff has to be packed in the family bag
It takes us 2 days to drive up so I have to have 1 overnight bag that has a change of clothes plus meds and CPAP

3) I am not "artsy-crafty" I am just Crafty.... The defintion of crafty according to webster is 1: skillful, clever 2 a: adept in the use of subtlety and cunning b: marked by subtlety and guile synonyms see sly

Nicole got a pink trunk for Kamp which we have embellished with stickers and paint. I made luggage tags for all the STUFF she has got to take. I did it on photoshop, sent it to Sams to have printed as a 4x6, took it to office max and had them laminated, brought them home and punched a hole in the top left hand corner.- 5 Custom luggage tags = $2.56 You might want to keep that in mind if you ever want to do something for a group or a team. I don't have a color printer so that is why it was printed at sams. You could also make a smaller size rather than a 4x6.

The Waitings KILLING ME!

2009-07-20T23:19:00.005-05:00

Birthday's rock around my house. I have the most incredible husband that does everything in his power to make sure I have everything I want. I have to be careful, if I am in a store and snif a candle and say "Oooo, this smells good!" as soon as I turn my back there are 3 in the basket. I traditionally put them back on the shelf, kiss him on the cheek and tell him they don't smell "THAT good." So I know whatever my heart desires, he would go to the ends of the earth to try and get for me. If I wanted a month long trip to a mystical foreign country (that speaks english), I guarantee that it would be in the planning stages as soon as the words left my mouth.

So I have been "saving" for a very expensive lens I want for my camera. I was almost there when we had a bump in the road with some expenses and I had to use the savings all up, well except for $53. So I just set my mind to start again. I get rebates here and there, I get an occasional cash donation for photos and I try and save a little every month. Well my birthday arrived and I was greeted with cards and love. My husband handed me an envelope of cash and explained that he had been saving for about 6 months to get me my lens before school started again. I teared up. My reasonable side took over and tried to convince him to pay for "other" things we had recently purchased to no avail. He grabbed the envelope and said "You better pray I buy the right lens!" Heaven only knows I don't need to be trying to crank a nikon lense onto my canon camera. So for those of you that play football at brazos christian...Your in luck!!

Now I am waiting for the mailperson to deliver it. The waiting may actually kill me!

Yes, yes I am bragging

2009-07-15T00:42:00.002-05:00

Here we are post allstar season (for us) and I just gotta brag about Zach. He had an awesome year at baseball. He played catcher, first base and sometimes pitcher. His batting was on the money. I think he only struck out a couple times.

From April to June he pitched to 28 batters...

28 batters

- 24 he struck out

- 2 popped up and were out

- 1 dribbler back to him which he threw out at first

- 1 got a hit to the outfield.

They even awarded him the game ball for the last game of allstars.

That is my little allstar - Turned 11 on July 4th.

My baby boy! snif..

Three Cheers for ED!!!

2009-07-13T17:30:00.003-05:00

Michael Jackson dies and it’s 24/7 news coverage. A real American hero dies and not a mention of it in the news. The media seems to have no honor and God is watching........... Ed Freeman - Died August 2008

You're a 19-year-old kid. You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in. You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you're not getting out. Your family is half way around the world, 12,000 miles away and you'll never see them again. As the world starts to fade in and out, you know this is the day. Then, over the machine gun noise, you faintly hear that sound of a helicopter and you look up to see an unarmed Huey, but it doesn't seem real because no Medi-Vac markings are on it. Ed Freeman is coming for you. He's not Medi-Vac, so it's not his job, but he's flying his Huey down in to the machine gun fire, after the Medi-Vacs were ordered not to come. He's coming anyway. And he drops it in and sits there in the machine gun fire as they load 2 or 3 of you on board. Then he flies you up and out, through the gunfire to the doc tors and nurses. And he kept coming back, 13 more times, and took about 30 of you and your buddies out, who would never have gotten out. Medal of Honor Recipient Ed Freeman died on Wednesday, June 25th, 2009, at the age of 80, in Boise , ID. May God rest his soul.
Medal of Honor Winner Ed Freeman! Since the media didn't give him the coverage he deserves, tell this story to every red-blooded American you know.
THANKS AGAIN, ED, FOR WHAT YOU DID FOR OUR COUNTRY.

Birthdays

2009-07-12T00:01:00.002-05:00

So the 40th year came and went and here we are on the doorstep of 41. I don't have grey hair, I have stress highlights. I dont have wrinkles, I have laugh lines. I own a coffee mug that says "you're only young once but you can be immature forever" I love that. So make fun of my forgetfulness and clicking joints - Go ahead... and I will beat you with my cane!

Excuse me Sir....

2009-06-17T16:18:00.002-05:00

The last days of my travels actually started out fairly normal although it turned out to be the weirdest of them all. Went to Kamp, picked up Colby, got food, got gas, got on the road. Everything was good until we hit Dallas. I was on 75 in the HOV lane talking to David on the phone and there was an accident ahead. So I said "Gotta go, there is an accident and I have to pay attention" and hung up. I get past the accident and my phone rings. I try to answer and get screeching. I hit "end" and then "send". There is now clicking noise. I look at the screen and it is flashing different colors. So I turn it off. When I turn it back on the Verizon check is the only thing on . Wont stop. Phone is dead. Died. Gone. Bye bye. So we get south of Dallas and there is this SHELL combo station. It has a subway and a Church's chicken in it. So we stop, fill up, order and I go in search of a phone.

I explain to the lady behind the counter that I just need to call my husband to tell him I am not in a ditch and was there a phone I could use or a payphone. She said that the manager was in a RED shirt and to ask him. I turned around and there was a man by the door in a red shirt. I walked over to him and said "Excuse me Sir...." to which he put his hand up in my face and walked off. SOOOOOOO I walked over to Colby and said... "I am going to go find a phone, you stay here and wait for our order, I will be right back." I was directed to the payphone which was out by the street. I went to the car, got change, when to the pay phone, figured out it was broken, put the change back in the car and went back into the shell station. Colby hands me a $10 bill and says, "that guy in the red shirt said to give this to you". HE THOUGHT I WAS A HOBO..... THAT I WAS ASKING FOR MONEY!!! I have NEVER been mistaken for a vagrant before!! Colby and I bought Ice Cream with the money and gave the change to the little girl who rang us up. The nice police officer let me use his phone and let my husband know that I wasn't dead. We made it home all in one piece. I couldn't wait to go to bed.

...explain to me the rational

2009-06-16T15:29:00.003-05:00

Day Two:

The plan was for me to pick up John from Kamp by noon. Eat lunch and drive him to the Little Rock Airport for his 5:30 flight. We should have plenty of time.

What actually happened:
I was listening to the radio as I was driving to Kamp and they were going on and on about this line of storms headed for the "listening area". So I call David and ask him to look at the weather. There is this snaking storm headed for me. So I grab John, we grab some burgers and go speeding down the road. We were staying JUST ahead of the storm. I could see it in my rearview. That was until we hit Demascus, Ark. The sky turned this lovely shade of green and when I looked out my window, I saw this dark cloud reach down like it had a finger and touch the ground. I woke John up and said..."Hey look a tornado!!" It was very cool. Then I lost sight of it. The wind was blowing left then would randomly blow right. The water on the road looked like sand blowing across. Trees and limbs were falling everywhere. I kept driving. It was a 5 lane road and I was going slow there was traffic coming from the other direction so I said outloud... "Since there is still traffic coming, I am going to keep driving." It was quiet in the car for a couple minutes til John asks.. "Could you please explain the rational behind that decision?" So I told him that if cars were coming from the other direction that meant that the road way was clear. So he said "Oh, I was thinking maybe they were all running from danger and maybe we should follow." Driving through that weather was one of the freakiest things I think I have ever experienced. It was like I was watching a movie. We get past the mayhem only to discover I40 outside of LR has become a parking lot. I pull off the TOAD SUCK PARK exit (not going to forget that name to quickly) to ask the guy at the gas station how to get around. English speak american not much very. Luckily there was a fire volunteer leaving to go "the back way" past the traffic. We followed him. We got around. Then we got to a place where you could go on one of the 4 highways... CRUD! I called David, no answer.... I had to make a decision so I took the one that said LITTLE ROCK and not the one that said MEMPHIS. I believe I mentioned I was directionally challenged earlier. Another horribally WRONG decision. It is now 4PM. John's plane leaves in an hour and a half. David is telling me I am on the wrong road. So I pull off to ask another gas station immigrant where to go. The good news is I am close. It wasn't actually the wrong road. I jump back into the car and go zooming to get on the onramp only to find that I30 is also a parking lot. I know the airport is to the left of me and I know I am close so I stay in the right hand lane (which I think is going to exit) and start going. The lane ends and I continue on the shoulder of the road. I turn on my hazards.... it is 4:15. This ....... PERSON..... decided that they didn't like me driving on the shoulder of the road so they try and pull their vehicle IN FRONT of me so I can't pass. I didn't slow down, I didn't veer, I kept going. I decided if I hit their car it would be the LEAST of their worries. I whizzed past them and got off at the exit. I went into a NAPA auto parts store. I yelled... "I am not from here, I am trying to get my son to the airport, his plane leaves in an hour and the highway is a parking lot, can someone help me?" This older gentleman grinned and said... "your on the right street. Keep going straight and it will take you right to the airport." Remember Jesus???? THIS was the road that was "go right at Jesus"

PHEW... We BLAZED a path to the airport. When I got there I stayed in the middle lane, not knowing where the parking entrance was. It was to my left, so I put on my breaks to let a 1982 gold U-Push-It pass and he SLAMS on his breaks. So I smile and wave him forward and he pulls up about 5 feet and stops again.. I am trying to turn behind him but he is turned around in his car, waving his arms and having some kind of spaz attack. I start imitating him while I put the car in reverse and make it around him. I am mumbling, "Boy... I wouldn't mess with me if I were you!" We park and run to the checkin and run to the security. I get through security but John keeps on BEEPING at the metal detector. He had his phone in his pocket. DOrk. So we sprint to the gate as they are lining up and John says.... I'm Hungry. "They give you peanuts on the plane, ask for an extra pack." was my initial response. I had no cash and there was no ATM machine around so I sent him with one of my credit cards and told him act like you know how to use it. He boarded the plane and I watched them take off.

I returned to the car and went Right at Jesus. I stopped at the gas station by the highway and bought a map. I plotted out my course and headed back to Branson to spend another night. The drive back was actually quite pleasent and you would have never known there was a huge storm there if it weren't for trees on top of cars. I made it back to my hotel, checked email and went to bed.....

the last day is when things get weird! but that is tomorrow.

Go right at Jesus....

2009-06-12T22:40:00.004-05:00

I am going to abbreviate the beginning of this story because I would have to get an ISBN number if I included that but just know it was actually well thought out....

John needed to leave Kamp in MO a day early to get back to Houston to play in a baseball tournament because the team is actually down a couple people. David left his car at the Little Rock Airport after volunteering at Kamp for a week. John is up at Kamp with a friend, Colby that I need to get back home to Bryan. Oh yea, and just to make things a LITTLE more crazy, I went to El Paso to see my parents.

The plan was for me to fly on Thursday at 11 from El Paso to Little Rock via a plane change in Dallas and drive up to Branson TX and check into the hotel. I was suppose to be there by 7 pm.

What happened.... hehe hehe....

My mother drops me off at the El Paso Airport, I check the monitors and my plane is still on time. I print off my boarding pass and proceed to my gate. The mood in the airport if very tense. Everyone seems grumpy but I skip merrily to my gate - B4. Again at the gate, I check my flight and it is still ON TIME. What I didn't know is the at the Dallas Airports had been shut down because of weather and tornado's. There is an announcement that my gate has been changed to B5. So I cross the hall and wait patiently. Then they STOLE my airplane. Apparently, there was a flight that was suppose to go to San Diego that couldn't leave because they were waiting on a part for THEIR aircraft from.... .wait for it.... DALLAS. So they just loaded all those people up on MY plane and they left. So we were moved over to that gate B6. We would get updates periodically. I decided I needed to stand in line to talk to the "gate agent" because I was HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS that I wouldn't make my connection to Little Rock. I approached the agent. She looked up from her terminal and tried to form a smile but she didn't try hard. So I looked at her and said: "I want to Thank you for all your tireless work and congratulate you on your new powers." She kind of looked confused and took my tickets to see what I could possibly need. I continued: "I don't believe I will be on time to make my connection to Little Rock and listening to all the people in line it all sounds like it is your fault." She hesitantly glances up at me. I finish: "It must be awesome to be equip with the power to manipulate weather!" She busted out laughing, now she was wearing a real smile. She tapped on her keyboard while we discussed the responsibility of the power and I moved on.

FINALLY - for my 11 flight (at 2:00) they told us to lineup at the gate. We all shuffled in order. Some of us joked, some of us didn't. Once we got assembled the voice on the overhead announced that DALLAS had put us on a 1/2 hour hold because it was being slammed with incoming flights. Everyone shuffled off - I just sat straight down. I wasn't going to wander around and find a spot to sit. We finally boarded the plane at 2:30 and was on our way to Dallas. When I got off the plane at 4:45 I was suppose to be two gates over for my 5:05 flight. You couldn't move in the Dallas airport. There were THOUSANDS of people there. You had to do this rotate thing to get by people. It took me 10 minutes to go 30 steps to the gate I needed. When I got there, my 5:05 flight was delayed til 8:15pm. I had to pee, I hadn't eaten and I had a headache that would put down a bull elephant. One of those headaches where the room moves and it makes you nauseous. I couldn't get to a bathroom, I couldn't get to the food court so I went to the bookstore and bought Tylenol and a coke. I just found a corner and ate my tylenol. About 7 the airport starts to thin out so I venture to go get food. I went to the Chili's too go thing and ordered potato soup. I figured there wouldn't be a lot of prep time for that. Apparently it takes 20 minutes to put soup in a cup in Dallas. I get my soup and go back to the gate. You couldn't sit on the floor next to the windows because the windows leaked during the storms and soaked the carpet - luckily I was wearing black shorts so it just didn't matter. My plane did leave at 8:15 and I arrive in Little Rock at 9:15.

I scurry to David's car and get settled in for the 3 1/2 drive ahead of me. I call David and he is giving me directions. Side note: Men and women don't communicate the same and when men try to communicate like women they fail. So David said after I left the airport parking place to "GO RIGHT AT JESUS". ????? Sure enough, there was a huge billboard sign that was green and in gigantic letters all it said was JESUS. So I took a right. The road was dark and unmarked. I called David and he said to turn around and try again... but really how do you mess up with those instructions? So I turned around and got on the road I was going on and there was an access ramp to the highway to my right AFTER Jesus. David said to take it but you had to know which of the 3 highways you wanted. David just kept yelling go to the one that is to the right, back toward Texas. .... TEXARKANA was on one of the signs on the far right and so I chose that one. If anyone knows anything about me, it is that I am directionally challenged. I accept that and am an amazing co-pilot. So I was told to drive about 5-10 minutes and I would get to the interchange. So I drive, and drive, and drive, no interchange, no signs and it doesn't "look" right. So I call....""No no...keep driving..." so I do. Finally I reach Benton, Ark. I KNOW I have never been to Benton, Ark and we have been coming to camp for 7 years. So I call - "David, I am on 30 East in Benton, Ark.... Is that right?" ... "Well let me get on Google." So he looks up Little Rock and says... "I don't even see a 30 on here" to which I respond "GOOGLE BENTON ARKANSAS PLEASE CUZ THAT IS WHERE I AM" . You hear typing and then a moment of silence and then he says these words...."Oh, you are SOUTH of Little Rock, Your in the wrong place." That is when I finally started crying.... "I TRUSTED You... you said to go right at Jesus and it was dark....insert random babbling here" He tried to calm me down and told me just to turn around... Well, Benton ARK you don't JUST turn around. You have to do this double knot pattern to get back to go the other direction. FINALLY with the help of Google and David, I get to HWY 65. I didn't make it to my hotel until 1:30 AM. I collapsed in on top of my bed fully clothed until the room phone rang at 2AM. I didn't answer, I just crawled under the blanket and went to sleep...

And that was was easier than day 2 of 3.
More tomorrow....

Well that didn't last long....

2009-06-07T16:03:00.003-05:00

I had great plans for all my open time... magical time. Just like magic, I realized that it really doesn't exsist. It is figment of my imagination. Just because I don't WRITE anything in the square in the calander doesn't mean that it is a free day filled with Rainbows and butterflies. I had this WHOLE week of "magical" time and could barely keep the house together much less get to all my "projects". There are also the THINGS that spring up. For example: I had a whole Sunday afternoon open - hours of time to sort through the kids school stuff and get it filed away in their trunks, then I get a phone call "Hey, what are you doing?" Well that conversation ended with us going to Lake Summerville for the afternoon and Jetskiing for 6 hours with some friends. Then there was another evening where I was going to PURGE my picture file only to realize that I had failed to post SEVERAL gallaries for the school, so I spent hours editing and posting those. Then there was yesterday. NOTHING NADA... even took the phone off the hook for good measure! Don't need pesky friends calling us up inviting us to some enormously fun waste of magical time. ..... The kids interveened. Welcome to Camp Gillett. We spent a few hours setting up a tent and camp fire in my front yard so that Nicole and Zach could spend the night outside about 50 steps from the front door. We cooked hot dogs and somemores over the fire and told stories and swatted flies. I went in about 9:15. By 9:45 they were both inside the house and going to bed.

It's Not April anymore...

2009-06-01T18:19:00.003-05:00

I cannot even TELL you how busy I have been. I have taken THOUSANDS of photos and been all over.

Zach is finishing off little league with his undefeated team. Three more games and it is soup. He had a great day at lake summerville riding on tubes and jetskis on sunday.

Co has enjoyed softball and likes the catchers position. She just finished celebrating her 7th birthday. She also had great fun on the lake hanging out with our friends.

John checked into Kanakuk today after playing a weekend tournament in League City at Big League Dreams. The team crashed and burned at the tournament BUT John, after going "0"fer the whole tournament hit an in the park grand slam home run. He had a decent outting pitching but his favorite part of the whole thing is that he now has a new Nick Name... Crash.

Welcome to my NIB days. NIB stands for NOTHING IN BOX. I have nothing writen in the box for the days on the calendar. YEA. SO I can work on my photos and clean out my folders.

I love the summer

Are you a fan....

2009-04-30T12:58:00.002-05:00

On my facebook page on the right side there is a section of information that has updated photo albums and "Fan" pages.
Really, do we need some of these:

I love my Mom
Fan of Summer
Baskin Robbins
Breathing

Then there are all the "WHAT TYPE OF...... ARE YOU?" Okay, I was the original on this. My christmas letters have for years had a section saying that is My child was a spice, color, car, etc. he/she would be X.

Which Muppet are you?
What color is your personality?
How OCD are you?
What kind of teacher are you?
What Character from Star Wars are you?
Are you a Texan?
What part of Texas are you?
What disney character are you?
Do you have a mental illness?
What is you hair style?

Then there are the communities you can join - I am currently a member of

I survived the peter pan peanut butter recall
When I was your age pluto was a planet
Gillett's against the "E"
I love Kanakuk Kamps!!

I think face book is the reason Sunday School's question of the day is getting so vanilla.

Influenza for Dummies

2009-04-29T13:18:00.004-05:00

Okay guys - I know it is weird out there but let me see if I can bring some facts to light:

Influenza is a VIRUS.
There are 3 broad types A, B, and C A is transmitted from ANIMALS (get it - A for ANIMAL) B and C can only be transmitted by humans, animals do not get or pass on B or C.
Currently there are several influenzas globally. The current two concerning A types are the AVIAN flu and the SWINE flu. The AVIAN flu caused the great pandemic of 1918 that killed off almost 1/3 of the world poplulation. It has not been transmitted from person to person yet. The swine flu is approaching pandemic status but every year we have a flu, it approaches pandemic status. It just depends on how severe that flu gets
We had the swine flu in 1976. One boy at Fort Dix died, the goverment freaked and the population got a vaccine, more people died from the vaccine than the flu. It was a mild flu season that year.
In a normal flu season, about 10 percent of the people that catch it will die, usually babies and older people. The death in Houston was from a 23 month old that came up from Mexico. I can't find which strain she had ... The Swine or the Zoo
Some viruses mutate or change quickly. These are the ones that are gonna kill you.
The swine flu in the US is NOT the mutating type (yet).
The flu that is down in Mexico city is a weird combination flu. It has CHARACTERISTICS of avian, swine and human influenza virus. It has an RNA pattern that has never been documented before. It IS the mutating type. I call it the Zoo flu
You can get a secondary infection of Pneumonia during ANY flu and that is what usually kills.
"Confirmed Cases" - be cautious of this term. Here is how the procedure goes.. .Monday afternoon- Billy Joe Jim Bob goes to the ER not feeling well. He gets a "rapid influenza" test (which we are running out of). That tests proves positive for Influenza A (insert suspense music here). So Billy Joe Jim Bob gets a q-tip stuck all the way up his nose and that "sample" is sent to THE LAB - which is in Austin Texas. Tuesday Noonish the LAB gets the sample and puts it in que with the THOUSANDS of other samples. Earliest of Wednesday late afternoon to Thursday Mid day the results are recorded. If positive, they report to the CDC and are released on FRIDAY. If Billy Joe Jim Bob was positive, he may not know till FRIDAY. By then he is either on his last day of the illness and has exposed X number of people OR dead.
There is no "REAL TIME" influenza map. If you use the example above, they are about 48-72 hours behind. Remember that.

Feel free to ask questions. Just do not go to the hospital or the doctors unless you absolutely positively have to!

Guess who started to plan for this:

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/nov2005/2005-11-01-01.asp

BIRD flu, SWINE Flu...they should just call it the ZOO flu

2009-04-27T20:59:00.000-05:00

David went to a conference a couple years ago where they discussed their potential response to a pandemic LIKE the Avian flu. Basically, their idea was they were going to have a drive BY emergency room where you never leave your car. IF you have the extreme conditions, you will be admitted to emergency room and any relative would be given a vibrating, light up pager and told to wait parked some where. It is at that point I turned to David and announce that "WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

SOOOOOO, I have read up a lot on the BIRD flu and have a understanding of its implications. It is still out there, in Egypt now. A similar threat has emerged.... the SWINE flu. The strain in Mexico is weird and they are trying to get it under control. The strain in the US is NOT the same but that doesn't mean it can't mutate. David had already gotten "FEDERAL PROCEDURES" regarding the Swine flu in the ER.

I am not saying the sky is falling YET... but I am going to buying extra "dry" foods for the pantry in the next few months.

One of their own

2009-04-25T14:42:00.000-05:00

While looking out my kitchen window I noticed that the cows were staring at something. There was a great group of them gathered looking. I thought maybe one of the calfs wiggled over to my side of the fence and went out to lend assistance. Well one of two things were happening- APPARENTLY cows are intreged by cats OR the thought Smudgy was one of them.

Game Time

2009-04-23T14:28:00.003-05:00

It is so hard to wait for the team to show up.

It is so hard to wait for the game to start.

It is so hard to wait for the 3 outs.

It is so hard to wait for my time to bat.

It is so hard to wait for the snowcone.

...and then there were four

2009-04-21T13:51:00.004-05:00

Well, my little sparrow wasn't done filling up her nest. Now there are 4. The last one is so little compared to the others . David rolled his eyes when I put a towel over the top of the tree during the rain storms. He mumbled something like, birds are use to the rain. The question is... "Is HE?"

It may not look like much but it's a home...

2009-04-14T21:58:00.004-05:00

My poor sad little tree that I bought on clearance finally gave up the ghost but I am unable to throw it into the burn pile YET.... Some small bird has decided to build her nest and lay her eggs in it. So I will keep it until the little ones fly away.

PLAY BALL!

2009-03-31T12:23:00.002-05:00

It is that time of year again where we dust off the helmets, bats and cleats. We seem to be doing some kind of baseball 7 days a week. So if you see me running here and there, tis the season.

How Stupid are they in:

2009-03-18T18:28:00.003-05:00

San Diego????

When we go anywhere for a length of time, we try to rent condos instead of hotels so we can keep breakfast, drinks and snacks. It is just really a more comfortable environment for my family of five and most of the time cheaper than an actual hotel room. So as usual, we checked in to the place to get the keys and the rules (there are always rules). The rules are usually something like, don't throw loud parties, no dressing animals in mini skirts, no smoking, and stuff that makes sense.

Our condo was amazing. On the picture it is on the top, far right, the set of 3 windows under the railing. 11th story, WOW. Since we were in the corner we had two more sets of floor to ceiling windows. In the main bedroom the wall that would face the ocean was solid glass. It was an amazing view... but the rules were goofy.

The three main ones that come to mind are:

1) You must park BETWEEN the lines. It was a common enough problem that they actually had to put it in writting.

2) There is a $100 fine if you use the stairs - Dont they eat nuts and berries and jog to work in California. Aren't they all about fitness, exercise and zen... BUT DON"T TAKE THE STAIRS!! You can ride down the elevator to go jog on the boardwalk.

3) $500 fine if you throw anything off the building. This bothered me. We had a football AND a freesbie. I couldn't chunk it off the balcony to the kids at the beach. On a good note, when John was trying to toss Zachary over, I just had to remind him that it was a $500 fine.

Here comes the QUIET part!

2009-03-03T21:56:00.003-06:00

There is a phrase that a lot of people use "God never gives you more than you can handle." Where in the world does it say that in the Bible? Well, in case you are looking... IT DOESN'T. It says you can do all things through CHRIST. It says to put your faith and strength in the Lord but it never says YOU CAN DO IT!

It also doesn't say God will lay everything at your feet if you have enough faith. It says to prepare the soil. It says to prepare for battle. It says to follow His intructions and His will shall be done.

So many people try to do so much by themselves. Even emotional struggles we try to work through by ourselves. We should always call on God. We should always have faith and we should always find councel in the word and with those who are biblically wise.

All I ever needed to know, I learned in Kindergarten by Robert Fulghum
Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, and how to be, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand box at nursery school.
These are the things I learned. Share everything. Play fair. Don't hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don't take things that aren't yours. Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are food for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday.
Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together. Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup? The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why. We are like that.
And then remember that book about Dick and Jane and the first word you learned, the biggest word of all: LOOK! Everything you need to know is there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology, and politics and the sane living.
Think of what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about 3 o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap. Or we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations to always put thing back where we found them and clean up our own messes. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Losing my mind... One day at a time

2009-03-02T22:01:00.003-06:00

I use to be a somewhat sane person. (No debating on that allowed).

Then I got married and had kids.

I use to know where every item in my home was.

Now I just hope there is nothing squishy on the floor when I walk to the bathroom at night.

I use to sit quietly and ponder the universe and all its wonders

Now I wonder just where in the universe the quiet went.

I use to write poetry and sing songs.

Now I talk to myself and debate the TV.

I use to just go into my bathroom to do what I needed.

Now I have to perform covert ops to get there so I can be uninterrupted.

I use to eat meals and enjoy

Now I eat whatever everyone else left on their plate.

I use to go out with friends and talk.

Now I blog and update on facebook.

I use to be able to think clearly.

Now I am loing my mind, one day at a time.

It ain't braggin if it is Factual

2009-02-19T12:14:00.004-06:00

I truly truly try and not brag on my kids on my blog. They do so much goofy stuff I have plenty of material to keep me happy. BUT.... there are rare occasions when you see something, a flaw you have worked and worked on all of a sudden they are doing it without reminder.

John loves to play (insert sport of the season here). It is currently basketball season. He has been doing well. Last night he had a huge challenge, there was kid on the other team as good (or even better) than John was. You tend to fall into your "old self" when you feel threatened or frustrated. This kid was matched up against John. He was as fast as John, he was taller than John and he had a calmer domineer than John. He even got physical with John and knocked him down to the ground twice, hard. That was his mistake. I watched as my son battled the old self of going all wrecking crew and contain his emotions. He focused the energy into his game instead of into the boy who was challenging him.

John played 3 quarters. He scored 30 points, made countless steals and rebounds. With 13 seconds left in the game and down by 1 point the coach entrusted the winning shot to John, who made it and with 6 seconds remaining John leaped into the air and was able to tip the shot from his rival to save the game. Joh's team won 39-38. The boy from the other team also scored 30 points. If that other boy hadn't gotten physical with John, the other team may have won because it wouldn't have inspired John and he may have given out in the last quarter. I was so proud to see him control his emotions and be able to focus on the job that needed to be done.

I see stupid people....

2009-02-18T13:55:00.004-06:00

I don't know if I was just in a Mood yesterday or if the weather was a factor but I was a MORON magnent yesterday.

Started in the morning when I drove off of 47 onto 60. There is a curve. It is wet. SO should we slow down, a little, maybe????? This guy guns it through the curve, loses control and takes out a light post. Not a small 8 foot one...NOOO one of those huge 20ft ones.

Then I am at the job fair recruiting for a real estate researcher. I am standing in front of a 4 foot wall that says "WE DONT JUST BUILD HOMES WE BUILD COMMUNITIES" or some marketing nonsense like that and this one sweet girl in high heels askes "So? Do yall build houses or something?" - I wanted to be Bill Engvall and say "Here's your sign!"

Then we wont even discuss the lack of brain cell function that my oldest son has and why his sister hit her head on HIS bathroom toliet!

So at the Urgent Care I am attempting to control the bleeding in the waiting room while this one guy is being checked out for Nicotine withdrawls. I wanted to throw him a pack of gum and ask him if the child with the gapping head wound could now be seen by the physician! I did manage to yell out as he was walking out the door "YOU CAN DO IT!"

Off to the Baskin Robbins to help my daughters head to feel better by applying ice cream, the OWNER of the store rung me up wrong. She was training someone and forgot it was dollar scoop Tuesday.

Oh - but it isn't over yet. I skip on over to Target to pick my former oldest son up another book to read. I asked the guy that was stocking the book section "Do you have inkspell?" He said yes, in the electronics section. I said "I N K S P E L L?" , he asked if I knew the type of printer I had. I said "NO, there is a book, titled INKSPELL - DO YOU HAVE THE SERIES?" He plays with his little hand held device and low and behold! They had it, so we start walking back over to the book area, where he was stocking and was on the self right below where he was working. Sigh.

I must suck the IQ points right off of people. Maybe my expectations are too high. Maybe societies are too low - Either way, I tried not to go out much today!

How Many Days?

2009-02-17T16:34:00.002-06:00

The other day Nicole and I chit chatting about the day and talking without purpose, just to deplete the ozone when out of nowhere she poses this question:

How many days, or how long do you have to go without lying or sinning to be baptized?

And thus the road begins.

VIOLATOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-02-16T19:38:00.003-06:00

I had such high hopes of getting through the season without the blatant disregard for fashion. How come all the violators are MALE?

Did we see the same movie????

2009-02-11T16:55:00.002-06:00

My children sometimes are in a world of their own.

John has been trying to quote music lyrics and movies lately and I never heard it in the movie:

Remember the Titans -
He heard:
"What is Pain? French Bread"
I heard:
"What is Pain? MyBest Friend"

Remember the Titans -
He Heard:
"What are you? mobile! Fragile! hostile!"
I heard:
"What are you? mobile! agile! hostile! "

White and Nerdy Song:
He Heard:
"I do hot ML for them all!"
I heard:
"I do HTML for them all"

So if your counting.. I am ahead 2 to 1.

I never stop

2009-02-10T16:41:00.003-06:00

Usually when I see a car accident, I keep driving. There are a ton of "helpful" people or emergency personnel all over the seen. Today, bringing the kids home from school there was a roll over off of HWY 30 by the bridge where 47 intersects. There were a couple cars but no emergency personnel. There wasn't even sirens. The wheels, which were pointing to the sky were still rocking.

I stopped. I never stop.
I grabbed a blanket and some towels we kept in the back.

This girl (under 25) had gone off the road about 1/8 of a mile back, tried to avoid one ditch, hit the other one and the vehicle did this spinny thing.

Anyway, when I walk up she is trying to get her purse, phone, and other stuff out of the car.
The car is not running but hissing. I tell this guy to go ahead and turn the ignition to OFF so the electric current is stopped. (you would think this would be logical). I talked to the woman. She was really okay. She had side impact airbags and her seatbelt on. I wrapped her in a blanket and made sure she didn't have any major injuries. The only thing she had was a laceration on her left leg that needed to be stitched.

I never stop.
The emergency guys came, did there thing and left. I was questioned. I am sure in the report it will say "the lady with the blanket". I stayed until I was sure the cop was going to take her to the hospital. I told her - "THE MAN is going to tranport you to the hospital in the BACK of the vehicle with the lights on, so if you need to start rumors or something, have him drive by some of your friends house and pound on the window as you go by." She laughed. ... he didn't.

She gave me back me blanket and smiled. I left.
Why did I stop?

BPH

2009-02-09T16:51:00.003-06:00

I was listening to the radio today and this nice man came over my airways to warn me that I may have BPH if I meet 2 or more of the criteria. In a lowered, dramatic voice he said:

One - if you are over 40
Two - if you urinate frequently
Three - if you get up at night to urinate
OR
Four - having erectile disfunction

WOW - I have 3 of the 4 symptoms!!

I might have BPH!!! Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy.
Better Call me doc!

Basketball & Golf

2009-01-27T19:29:00.003-06:00

Don't think I forget.

Don't think I am not watching, waiting.

Since the officials are primarily wearing warmups, the socks haven't been an issue..... YET.

BTW... John Scored 20 points in upwards, Co scored 20 points (the mom keeping track of the stars told me) and then John scored 25 points, 13 rebounds and 3 assists on Monday night city league.

Zachary placed 5th in his PGA golf tournament. (Sorry no pictures, my camera didn't come in till monday)

Down Time

2009-01-23T17:45:00.003-06:00

It has been so hard for me to blog. I have been swamped with the kids and then I just got a new computer and need to transfer over everything. I hope things calm down in the next week or two or that's what I keep telling myself.

The Federal Government is so.... NICE!

2009-01-08T09:17:00.002-06:00

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-thrift2-2009jan02,0,2083247.story

Barring a reprieve, regulations set to take effect next month could force thousands of clothing retailers and thrift stores to throw away trunkloads of children's clothing.The law, aimed at keeping lead-filled merchandise away from children, mandates that all products sold for those age 12 and younger -- including clothing -- be tested for lead and phthalates, which are chemicals used to make plastics more pliable. Those that haven't been tested will be considered hazardous, regardless of whether they actually contain lead!
Clothing and thrift trade groups say the law is flawed because it went through Congress too quickly. By deeming that any product not tested for lead content by Feb. 10 be considered hazardous waste, they contend, stores will have to tell customers that clothing they were allowed to sell Feb. 9 became banned overnight.These groups say the law should be changed so that it applies to products made after Feb. 10, not sold after that date.That would take action by Congress, however, because the Consumer Product Safety Commission's general counsel has already determined that the law applies retroactively, said commission spokesman Scott Wolfson.The regulations also apply to new clothing. That won't be a problem for large manufacturers and retailers, industry experts say, but it will be a headache for small operators such as Molly Orr, owner of Molly O Designs in Las Vegas

CONTACT your CONGRESS MAN/WOMAN TODAY!!!!!!!!

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R- TX)
202-224-5922
202-224-0776
http://hutchison.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Senator John Cornyn (R- TX)
202-224-2934
202-228-2856
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm

Representative Chet Edwards (D - 17)
202-225-6105
202-225-0350
http://edwards.house.gov/html/contact_form_email.cfm

My letter said:
I have read several articles outlining the upcoming February mandate concerning the resale and testing of childrens clothing. I understand the need to try and keep children safe but I think maybe we might be cutting our nose off to spite our face here. Testing on ALL clothing, even the natural fibers do not make sense. Testing on clothing made within the US that already follow the strict and expensive mandates set forth by the Feds is not necessary. We should only test clothing from foriegn distributors. Maybe we should think about this one again, preferrably before February 9th.

That's NICE.....

2009-01-07T20:49:00.002-06:00

The word "nice", like many words in the English language, came to us through Old French and ultimately from Latin. The Latin word nescius means "unaware," "not knowing," or "ignorant." We can see this more clearly when we dissect the word into its parts; ne- means "not" and scire means "know, understand." The latter is the root that we also find in the word science. So, at least etymologically speaking, the word nice means ignorant, which itself comes from the from two Latin roots i- “not” and gnarus “to know, be acquainted with.” Thus, the original usage of the word nice in the English language had the approximate meaning of "ignorant, silly, foolish." The meaning of the word continually evolved – over time having the following senses: timid, fussy, wanton, dissolute, showy, ostentatious, dainty, elegant delicate, careful, refined, respectable, decent, agreeable, delightful, kind, and thoughtful.

But some of us know the TRUE meaning of NICE....

I am not a nice person...

& I even say it with a very hard southern draw!

2008 Lessons Learned

2009-01-01T07:34:00.006-06:00

Time again for my reflections on what I learned from 2008

1) Be careful what you commit to, it can create a whole lot of work!

2) Sometimes when you look at your own stuff too much it can lose its brillance but good friends make sure you can see it again.

3) Good neighbors don't mind you stalking them.

4) Never let anyone take a picture of you that you don't want anyone else to see (um Shelly).

5) You can really be too busy to celebrate your own birthday.

6) A 12 year old and a cell phone are a hysterical combination... Do not call me from the Bathroom to tell me your out of toliet paper!

7) You never know when a hug and a smile will form someones opinion of you.

8) Once you reach 9999 on the memory card, the number go to 9999-01

9) There is always a bigger or better!

10) Give your kids a fireman's pole and you create memories for a lifetime and cut back on headaches from (thump thump thump) down the stairs!

WHY I am banned from shopping at Victoria Secrets!

2008-12-29T19:21:00.003-06:00

When "uncomfortable" topics come up around me, I usually try to settle nerves by joking about it, then you can talk about it from a different perspective and attitude.
So one day after school with all three in the car, Zach asks "what's a thong?" ...
HUH? Where did you hear about that?
"Oh someone in class had a weggie and said it felt like a thong."
Oh.. Great.. Well it is like the old jock straps.
"What are old jock straps like"
Well they us to go up the crack on you backside.
"Oh that is disgusting!"
Yea, basically it is like butt floss!
HUGE ROARS OF LAUGHTER EXPLODED IN MY VAN.
We discussed the squeeky noise, etc. It was HUGE fun....

Fast Forward to 2 to 3 months later.
I am in Victora Secrets buying my annual supply of discount chonies.
We are at a table and Nicole is in stitches looking at all the bizarre colors and patterns and lace and all.
Then all of a sudden the store got strangly quiet and you here a little girl blare out..
LOOK MOM, MAROON BUTT FLOSS - WE CAN GET IT FOR RACHEL SHE WEARS BUTT FLOSS.

I respond...
Oh honey, that is the wrong size, Rachel wears Double X!

I'll need to find a new place to go to by undies next year.

Almost 2009

2008-12-27T22:05:00.005-06:00

As usual, we will be deep in the throws to the family treasure hunt. This year takes us out of state! The kids are very excited. This is more work than Christmas for me, all the plotting and planning on TOP of my usual plotting and planning. Which has left me no energy or effort to plot and plan against David, Whos 50th birthday is coming up on Jan 13th! Top that off with 3 commitments I made between now and March, I may be going a little crazy the beginning of 2009!

So here is your annual reminder...
BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

SAVE ANY PHOTOS AND FILES YOU WANT TO KEEP!!!!!!!!

COMPUTERS DIE WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT THEM TO!!!!

Here some examples of what I will be backing up, with my cool new watermark that I made all bys myselves!

Carribean Christmas

2008-12-19T23:29:00.004-06:00

The kids had a Carribean Christmas Play.... Zachary had one of the lead rolls, he was a surfer guy named Louis and Nicole was a Harold Angel.

How Stupid is: Public Education in Arkansas

2008-12-19T13:34:00.003-06:00

Been There!

2008-12-18T12:40:00.000-06:00

FINALLY!

2008-12-14T13:11:00.002-06:00

Banks and consumers brace for new credit card rules
By John Poirier John Poirier Sat Dec 13, 10:56 pm ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. credit card industry, harshly criticized for imposing surprise fees (Like for your birthday) and interest rate hikes (through the mountains) on consumers, may face a day of reckoning on Thursday..
The Federal Reserve is to vote on credit card reforms that may bring some relief to customers who face a variety of ways for being hit with late fees, universal defaults, shorter payment periods and confusing payment allocations for different balances.
Credit card users likely also would see easier-to-read tables in their monthly statements as a result of the changes.
The new rules, which were proposed earlier this year, are expected to total some 1,000 pages. They need approval of the Federal Reserve, the Office of Thrift Supervision (What office is this? Can I run for it?) and the National Credit Union Administration, which all are expected to act on Thursday (in a devine comedy that pits the poor working American up against corporate greed).
Consumer groups (UNNAMED consumer groups) say practices of credit card companies blindside consumers (because of the little teenie tiny print) and U.S. lawmakers have threatened legislation (GASP) if regulators did not use their consumer protection powers to reform the industry (reform- it is becoming an overused term).
With Democrats strengthening their control of the next Congress that convenes in January and the financial services sector in turmoil, credit card companies that resisted the changes increasingly have accepted them as inevitable.
They have warned (or THREATENED) that interest rates charged on credit cards will rise for all borrowers and that borrowing limits may be reduce because of the changes.
The industry maintains that credit cards provide a service to consumers with convenience and sometimes free loans (FREE loan, more like FEE loans).
"The new rules will be a challenge to the business," said Peter Garuccio, director of public relations at the American Bankers Association trade group.
POTENTIAL SWEEPING IMPACT
In 2007, Americans were using an estimated 694.4 million credit cards with Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover logos, according to the Card Industry Directory.
Banking regulators have been using focus groups to test the impact of changing credit card rules for the past couple of years and on Thursday are expected finalize some changes.
They are expected to prohibit credit card companies from increasing rates at will, with some exceptions such as those that apply to people who fail to pay a bill within 30 days.
So-called universal default, which permits changing card terms if the borrower defaults on another bill such as utilities or a gym membership, also is expected to be banned (because sometimes you just forget to pay the water bill.)
Double-cycle billing, in which card companies reach back to earlier billing cycles to help calculate interest charged in the current cycle, also is expected to be eliminated. (I wish they would make sure that DUE dates didn't fall on Sunday's or holidays so we have to pay them early)
With the U.S. economy in recession, the market that trades in credit card asset-backed securities faces increasing stress as more consumers fall behind on payments.
As delinquencies and charge-offs -- balances written off as uncollectible -- on credit cards rise, investors demand higher yield spreads for credit card-backed securities.
The ABA represents the biggest issuers of Visa and MasterCard. Citigroup, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase enjoyed almost 70 percent of the credit card market at the end of 2007, according to the Card Industry Directory.
(Reporting by John Poirier; Editing by Vicki Allen)

Happy Birthday Jesus

2008-12-09T20:34:00.001-06:00

Mexican Truth

2008-12-03T21:47:00.002-06:00

I lived a decade in El Paso. Was educated in the high school there and learned a bunch about the Mexican culture. One thing I had forgot is the deep seeded love that the Mexican's have developed for Texas and America. While we were visiting during thanksgiving we went to the El Paso Parade. These hispanic riders carried the flags while a song played... Viva Mi Mexico, Viva Mi America. Mi Amor Mexico y Mi amor America. Mi Coresone es grande con ....

Okay, my spanish is a bit rusty but basically the song went "Rule my Mexico, Rule My America, My love Mexico, my love America. My heart is greatly filled with pride for my countries. I find my place in Texas

where my grandfather rode..."

The Mexicans are filled with national pride that I don't see from our country unless there is a disaster. I had forgotten that. I am glad I remember.

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

2008-11-30T20:05:00.001-06:00

Zoooooooommm......

2008-11-29T22:24:00.002-06:00

Some People Have Mountains they must climb

2008-11-26T22:11:00.002-06:00

but if you have a good family, you run up them together!

I'm not obsessive, I'm not obsessive, I'm not obsessive...

2008-11-20T12:59:00.000-06:00

....at the office!!!!!!!!

2008-11-18T23:04:00.000-06:00

Slow Ride

2008-11-16T21:18:00.003-06:00

Don't know why I took this picture. I just did.

Yooouuuu might be a redneck...

2008-11-11T09:25:00.000-06:00

You use a trash fire to light the basketball court and your hound dog as a pick.

How Stupid are they in....

2008-11-10T08:54:00.002-06:00

...TAIWAN

So… Spiderman was Batman all along??

I KNEW IT.

Perspective

2008-11-06T22:45:00.003-06:00

One thing I HATE to talk about is politics. Luckily, my husband can carry on a political conversation with the radio, TV or newpaper for hours and not require my direct involvement with the exceptions of a few "Uh Huh' and a "Oh, I know." here and there to give the delusion of participation. I have learned that all the calling, letter writing and ranting in the world falls on non-existent ears. The political system is so corrupt, putting energy into it is like putting a paint job on a 1972 Vega that is missing the engine. It may make you feel better but you still aren't going to go anywhere useful.

I was reading a friend's blog that had a cartoon that read "Politics is like driving. The D takes you forward and the R takes you backwards".

But neither do you a bit of good if you don't know where you are going. That is what is wrong with our country. We have no unified direction. Everyone is out for themselves. Me Me Me Mine Me Mine. Do I think Obama is the solution? NO. Do I think McCain is the solution? Not really. Do I think the bird flu is the solution? Well, it is better than anything else being presented at the voting booth.

I know God is in control. I know He has a plan. I know I am preparing my children to stand up for their beliefs. I will pray for our President, no matter who he is, because Romans 13:1-7 tells me that every person should obey the government in power. No government would exist if it hadn't been established by God. The governments which exist have been put in place by God.

I keep my faith in God. I prepare my family. I pray for my Country.

God Bless America!

Mom's Lunch Out

2008-11-05T17:34:00.002-06:00

Okay you busy woman: Since you can't do a Mom's Night out, how about a MOM'S LUNCH OUT. We can meet somewhere for lunch or we can all just come to my house, hang out and talk.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday's are better for me.

Any takers?

A WEEK???

2008-11-04T17:12:00.004-06:00

Wow ~ I haven't posted for a week. Wonder WHY???

Today: Field Trip with 4th grade to Calvert

Mon: After hour of self torcher from Kick Boxing - Field Trip with 1st grade for Frogs

Fri: Homecoming game

Thu: John's last football game

Wed: Sub/Help at School

Tue: Field Trip with 4-6th to Renaissance festival

In Australia?

2008-10-28T19:21:00.003-05:00

There use to be a radio show skit called "How Stupid are they in (insert city or state here)?" They would call a random phone number in the state or city and ask a simple question like What date does the presidential election happen? or Can you name one member of Crosby, stills, and Nash? Well, that skit doesn't happen much because the Stupid are writing in for us. So may I present for your reading pleasure..... HOW STUPID ARE THEY IN AUSTRALIA?
Another thought, the publisher ACTUALLY put this in the paper. Were they running light on opinions that day?

Someone really needs to get on this "Flying Car" concept!

2008-10-27T23:27:00.000-05:00

Teacher?

2008-10-26T20:02:00.003-05:00

If you ask Coco what she wants to be when she grows up it is a 3rd grade teacher. This shocks me. Why? Because she is such a little 6 year old medic. She knows more about first aid than most adults.

It is recess time at school and a little boy fell on his arm. This boy is as tough as nails. He NEVER crys. Co runs over, examines the arm, gets him to stand up and escorts the boy over to an adult explaining to them her diagnosis and treatment course. "He could have broke it but it is probably just bruised. Either way, we should get some ice."

When she comes in complaining of something, after she is done she will look at me and say "I know, I know....Go take a shower"

Now you know

2008-10-23T07:50:00.000-05:00

At least they got the first 8 letters right.

No...not really

2008-10-21T20:08:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I was at my local Target buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Sheriff, the Wonder Dog and was in the checkout line when woman behind me asked if I had a dog.What did she think I had, an elephant? So, since I'm bored and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms.I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way that it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (I have to mention here that practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.) Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's butt and a car hit us both.I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard.Target won't let me shop there anymore.Better watch what you ask bored people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say.

Mark Your Calendars!

2008-10-18T21:27:00.001-05:00

Last Home BCS Middle School Football Game

Oct 23

Vs. Snook

at BCS

5:30P

Not enough showers...

2008-10-15T21:40:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I was at church with some friends and I was looking at a sweet little baby who started choking. As I yelled for her mom, I walked toward her... I didn't know what she was choking on, my hands were filthy and I didn't want to stick my finger in her mouth with her mother standing there but she was definatly having an issue. All turned out well, it is apparently a common occurance but scared the tar out of me. I hate choking. I can stop bleeding, I can deal with vomit, but don't stop breathing on me.

SO THEN... My son gets in the car after full pad football practice and we are talking and I said...
Me: How was you day?
J response: "I don't know".
Me: What do you mean you DONT KNOW?
J: Don't remember much.
Me: Do you still have a headache?
J: Yea, it's killing me

John fell out of a tree the night before and had 2 branches and the ground hit him on the temple of his head. He complained of pain and a headache that night but it always sooooo much drama with the boy, I thought he was just going Hollywood on me. This morning he complained of a headache but we equated it to the fact he hadn't eaten breakfast. Don't I feel stupid.
BTW: Hot showers with a concussion is a bad bad thing. It will increase the intercranial bleeding causing additional swelling and pressure. They can loose conciousness and hit their head again.

So things come in three. ...
I was emptying the trash and there was this lid to a tuna fish can, I cut the tar out of my finger. Bled all over the place, but remember,,, I can handle blood. I pressed the laceration ends together and superglued it closed.

I am going to go take a shower, cuz I don't have a concussion.

Feel the Love, Man....Feel the Love

2008-10-14T21:58:00.003-05:00

Random, weird thoughts to follow:

Last night I called my husband to say goodnight and tell him I loved him. He is usually the first person I talk to when I get up in the morning and the last one I talk to before I go to bed. We did our usual routine... "Going to bed, luv ya, talk to ya in the morning, yada yada yada." and I hung up. About 10 minutes later he calls. He is real serious and says "I just wanted to let you know how much I love you". I start in with, "Did I say something wrong? Is everything alright? Do you have a patient?" Because usually there is some kid or woman in the ER in critical condition and he starts thinking of me. No, just wanted to call me and let me know he misses me and loves me. (aaawwee).
So lying in bed I started thinking about the first person who told me they loved me that wasn't related or I wasn't dating. You know that person that becomes a very close friend that is a 2AM friend that you can disagree without fighting, etc. I guess I was in my late 20s working at a hospital and I had worked with this one woman for many years. She lived right down the street and she and I use to take breaks together at work. Her life style and mine were completely different. She wanted NO children, I wanted 6 (I was young, full of energy, and had delusions of grandeur). She smoked and had recreational products, I didn't. She was a liberal and I was a conservative. Somehow, these polar opposites became best friends. She was the first friend to ever tell me "I love you." I didn't quite know how to take it but it was something that changed the way I look at friendship. We were friend for 15 years. Carol died last year in her sleep of unknown causes at 45. She and I went through a lot together at work and when I moved we kept in close contact. Carol was absolutely hysterical. She and I would set the office up for pranks and we found humor in some of the oddest situations.

The Dog Story
Carol and I both had a fondness for the burritos at Acapulco taco. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a diner, more like a storage shed in the middle of a parking lot. I am sure this place violated the majority of the health codes of Albuquerque but Carol and I would make many lunch trips there together risking e-coli and a gambit of other stomach bugs.
One warm, sunny day we got our meals and there and were leaving the parking lot. There was a Rottweiler dog chained to the front of the contemporary furniture store. After carefully making her left turn onto San Mateo, Carol began ranting about the injustice being done.
“Did you see that poor puppy tied up outside. He never has any water or shade. You can tell he is starting to get a sunburn because his little chest hairs are getting redder. I am going to call the ASPCA and report them. It makes me so mad when people treat animals like that…”
She paused and looked over at me at the next stop sign.
“Why aren’t you saying something?” I was at a loss for words, how could I put this to her so she would understand and believe me. Quietly I said
“because it’s PLASTIC”
You could see the little wheels turn in her head. In order to settle this quickly, she turned the truck around and headed back to the store. As we slowly drove by the “Poor puppy” again, I commentated
“Notice how it never pants, lies down, looks around…. MOVES???!!!??”
Now it got really quiet in the truck as we approached our work. She looked over at me and asked “Is there anyway we won’t mention this to Maggie?”(our boss)
I smiled, put my hand on the truck’s door handle and said…
“Race ya to her office!”

The BIRD Story
One day a good friend of Carol’s who happened to be a drug rep came up to the office. Carol introduced us and they began talking about their lives and family, etc. They were in my office and my desk faced the window (this is important later in the story). I was turned around in the chair away from the window listening to the dialogue go back and forth.
The drug rep was telling Carol this story about “Birdy” and the new mastiff puppy. Birdy was a talking bird (Carol could probably tell you what type). It knew three words “Hello”, “Birdy” and “ Oh Crap”- okay, technically that is 4 words. Her story continued that the previous week they left the new puppy and birdy home alone together. When they came home there green feathers everywhere, including the dogs mouth. The drug rep called and called for the bird when finally she heard a weak “hello” from under the couch. (She actually changed her voice) She looked under the couch and fished out the bird. The puppy had held down the bird with one paw and plucked out all it’s little tail feathers.

At this point the visual in my head was WAY too much for me to handle and Carol knew it. Her eyes would shift over to me with each new development in the story. I could see the puppy with its paw on the bird and every time he pulled a feather out the bird yelling “OH CRAP”. Trying not to be completely rude, I spun my chair around to face the window. I tried and tried to contain my laughter but when the drug rep talked about the tail prosthesis they put on the bird because it could no longer keep its balance and it had fallen and broke its beak, I lost it. My laughter came busting out with the words “I’m so sorry.” I didn’t know this person and I am sure this was a very traumatic event but I couldn’t keep it in anymore. This set Carol into hysterical laughter. She apparently thought it was funny too but had much more control over her laughter than I did. The poor drug rep seemed somewhat offended and when I could compose my self to speak I apologized again. I explained that I was doing good until she put the bird voice to “hello”. This sent us into another round of laughter (Carol and I, the drug rep was less than amused)

From then on, every time one of us got in trouble for something the other one would poke our head in the door and in our best little birdy voice say “hello”. She stuck her head in my door quite a bit.

Have you told your friend you loved them today???

Tacky Tuesday

2008-10-14T10:36:00.001-05:00

Someone sat bolt up in the bed in the middle of the night with this idea!

October Flowers

2008-10-12T22:10:00.002-05:00

It snowed in Utah today, so hard that they closed several roads. I have flowers blooming in a field next to my house and mid 80s temp.

Stupid Laws Part 2

2008-10-10T21:42:00.003-05:00

Education boss warns that pizza parties break law

Here.... In Texas......

First fish, now pizza.... WILL THE MADNESS EVER END!!

What about the socks?

BTW: Mine is the first comment!

Want One?

2008-10-09T21:25:00.006-05:00

TWO THINGS:

FIRST: Okay... Here we are in October. I have almost finished my Christmas Newsletters. I have a few spaces left for pictures. SO if you are interested in getting a newsletter, even if you THINK I have your address you need to email me your current address so I can add it to my address file to print on the envelopes I ordered that should be arriving in a week.

If you want a newsletter send your address to tbsharp@yahoo.com . If you don't care about getting a printed one but would like to see it, email me and I will send you a digital version.

SECOND:
Cute gift idea, out of the ordinary, not too expensive:
http://www.aotees.com/index.php
Already ordered for my whole family for our new years treasure hunt.

If you are doing newsletters your next steps are to:
1) Buy envelopes
2) Start sorting addresses out of who you want to mail to and you can even start addressing letters. 3) Get your letter about 85% complete!

Really ....We had to pass a LAW???

2008-10-08T14:54:00.003-05:00

NEWS ALERT FROM: KBTX
Fish Pedicures Banned In Texas

"It's not a common procedure, but now fish pedicures in Texas are illegal.

During the pedicure, a customer places his or her feet in a footbath allowing fish to eat dead skin cells their feet.
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation lists this as a health risk because the same fish are being used on multiple customers and can transmit infectious diseases."

So here are my questions?

1) What is the punishment if you get one in Texas?

2) Why was this attractive to someone in the first place? Most women would run screaming from the lake if they stuck their feet in and something started nomming on them!

3) This was a common enough practice with documented adverse effects we needed to OUTLAW it? How many local businesses and people did this new law really affect?

4) Couldn't they have given the fish a tick tack or something between people?

5) Who thought this up in the first place?

6) How much does a pedi-nibble cost?

7) Does anybody else feel that this be considered cruel to the FISH?

Tacky Tuesday

2008-10-07T22:48:00.000-05:00

Where's the Kid??!!1!!??

The Visible Spectrum of Rainbows in NY!!!

2008-10-06T21:06:00.004-05:00

I captured some of the strange phenomenon that Haarp speaks of in her conspiracy video that uncovers the metallic oxidized sodiumlithical responders in the earthly realm of the visible spectrum illicited by the federal government in their maniacal plan for complete and absolute control over our brains! These images are from a continent away from where she witnessed the phenomena in California. The one with the bridge is actually SALT water!!!! They are transforming the oceans in to one huge metallic oxidized salt factory for world wide distribution. Every knows salt water doesn't produce rainbows. THEN the other pictures is through my sunglasses out the plane window. The entire atmosphere has become a visible spectrum! Will the Madness ever end???? Will Haarp resume her medication so the little voices in her head will stop talking??? Are the squirrels actually behind the entire nonconspiracy?? Will Upward basketball have better sock fashion this year?? So many questions left unanswered.

Got Back!

2008-10-05T20:45:00.002-05:00

Wow! What an amazing time. We did everything in NY. We stayed on Time Square at the Casablanca Hotel. The hotel has a marrocan theme. I would like you to look at the sign above my head to the right of the picture. See... I can rebel in other states too!

I'm Coming Home!!!!

2008-10-03T07:39:00.002-05:00

It's been fun, but I can't wait to come home!!!!!!!!!!!

I stayed 50 yards from Time Square (where they are dancing at the end of the video).

Seasons Change

2008-10-01T21:33:00.001-05:00

News the way I like it!

2008-09-28T22:08:00.001-05:00

This was LIVE!

Right Guard

2008-09-26T21:48:00.004-05:00

Get it....
John is a right guard
Gillette Right Guard
Get it???

You had me at HellO?

2008-09-25T10:59:00.002-05:00

Guess we have a different attitude about Aggie football this week.

Tour De Casa

2008-09-24T11:07:00.000-05:00

Since I am cleaning the house to leave town next week I will take pictures of as many rooms as I can and post them on my house blog (to the right). ENJOY.

Conspiracy theorys that don't matter

2008-09-22T12:38:00.000-05:00

Please note: She is living in California.
Metallic Oxide Salts?
Visible Spectrum of Rainbows? as opposed to what other visible spectrum?
What is Oozing out of our ground??? WATER!
Hear the sirens in the background, they are looking for HER.

I am sure it has something to do with the squirrels! What's funny is there was this guy in NM that was sure that INTEL was making microchips and putting them into the water supply so when we drank the water, the microchips would migrate to our mind and the government would control us. I think I found his soul mate in visible spectrum woman.

More Visitors

2008-09-20T20:27:00.003-05:00

Hurricane Ike didn't bring any human visitors to my house but I am sure getting alot of nature.

This guy was hanging out on the drive way.

See, I don't have a problem with frogs or toads.

Visitor

2008-09-19T11:54:00.005-05:00

This little lady thought she would come and inspect my garage for me today.

When She was done, she left.

Um... I don't make this stuff up.

2008-09-17T12:21:00.001-05:00

I usually don't get involved in politics on my blog, but this one was TOO good to pass up.
History AND Science books!

Where do you want to go?

2008-09-16T21:45:00.004-05:00

Ever have those ~ Where do want to go visit before you die conversations?

Mine always has to be started with "No Where that Doesn't Speak English". I have a phobia of going to countries that don't speak my language.
Just in case you are keeping a list:

sciurophobia - fear of squirrels Can be pronounced: ski-ooro-phobia or she-ooro-phobia ~ Of course we should really clarify, I am not actually scared of squirrels I just think they are evil. I guess I can be a sciurobigot.

Then there is Bovinophobia - Fear of cows. Again, not really a fear of the actual COW, just of that crazy one in the herd that is going to attack, stomp on you and kill you for no reason. SO it could be narrowed to un0psychobovinophobia (one crazy cow phobia). Of note, the term "PHOBIA" implies an irrational fear, I do not believe this is irrational.

and here we have a phobia that has no clinical name. I do not fear foreign language, I hear it all the time, I fear being in a place where the foreign language is primarily spoken. I know where it comes from. I grew up in El Paso. Mexico was alway filled with horrible stories and situations. I could tell you several stories, but trust me, this is a deep seeded fear. My husband will attest to it. You will not catch me eagerly going over the boarder for anything. So my "list of places to go" usually excludes countries and places that do not primarily speak English. So for instance places like Cuba and Miami are out.
Back to the original topic
(The logic kinda weaves together like an ugly sweater)
So top 10 places I would like to go before I die that I have never been before: (in no particular order)

1) New Zealand/Australia (yes I can combine these, they are in the same hemisphere)
2) London (this would be fun because David can't understand English dialects - He hates Monty Python cuz he cant understand what they are saying)
3) NY, NY - This one I will be able to check off the list in a couple weeks.
4) Alaska in the summer. I hate being cold
5) Grand Canyon
6) Cruise Ship through Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, etc. The cruise ship would have to have an American flag on it.
7) Yellow Stone National Forest
8) Hike the Grand Staircase in Utah
9) Montana/Wyoming
10) Outer Space, Not too far out there Just enough to see the entire earth. Is space a place?

WHY?

2008-09-15T11:54:00.004-05:00

Warning... The following is obvious:

WHY do things have to be so complicated????

We have hundreds of evacuees that are going to need longer term shelter.
AND
We have a vacant hotel with 120 rooms at 2300 S. Texas Avenue.

I looked up information on the property and it is owned by a company out of California.

Owner ID:	O90915
Owner Name:	LODGECO PROPERTIES, LTD
Owner Address:	(FKA INVESTMENTS, LTD) Attn: ROSSCO HOLDINGS INC 1011 1/2 N BEVERLY DR BEVERLY HILLS,CA 90210-2328
Property Address:	2300 S TEXAS AVE

Their Local Number is (979) 846-4242 with the contact person as Bradon Wolsic

Does anyone know Mr. Wolsic?

Ike Report

2008-09-13T17:20:00.003-05:00

BEST Hurricane Tracker

2008-09-11T07:52:00.002-05:00

Since we all have our eye on the Gulf, you might want to bookmark this site and use it. Much better than anything the National Hurricane Service Center has to offer.

http://www.stormpulse.com/