{scrap-a-licious}

What a day! Its actually been a really great day! A totally scrap-a-licious day!! I abandoned my children for a day of "me!!" whoo-hoo!! I know that sounds bad, doesn't it? Actually, it wasn't that bad, but today, even though it is spring break, it wasn't about them.... I went with a new friend of mine down to Jax to check out a scrapbook store there and it was ssoooo much fun. First of all, the owner there was super friendly and there is a lot of activities that go on at the store and area crops. So, it really inspired me to get my rear in gear and get some more scrappin' done and maybe check out some of the big crops, they have a few all day crops up at the Fair Grounds which include all of the area scrapbook stores. That could be fun!! yeah?

Update on my little Peep Flava K: She had her surgery yesterday and had a few complications with her blood pressure dropping too low. It remained low thru-out today and considered going back in because they thought that she might be bleeding internally. But I guess that after later today, her blood pressure had risen a little bit and they decided not to go back in. She is doing better, but she still really needs continued prayers....I would appreciate them and I know that she would as well.

{Who's & Later's}

spending the day with Action and his little friend in the "hood" running some errands, going to lunch at one of the best pizza places to eat here in ho-bunk (trust me, there are not too many places that I can say that about), and going to see "Horton Hears A Who" equalled a pretty groovy day. That was a great movie, it was a lot of fun to spend some quality time with the boy. It seemed like a reall long time since it was just he and I, even though he had a friend we seemed to just chat during lunch and I really just enjoyed that time together. I think I'll keep him....

I know that I've been blogging about my peachy pal and her departure to Japan, it seemed to be something that snuck up on me and then when it hit, it really stunk! But tonight they came over after their visit to the Land of Mouse for their last good-bye before their flight out tomorrow, but anyone that knows me knows that I cannot handle this, I don't do this well. I should be used to all of this because I am a military wife. This is par for the course, but this is not "par for the course that I am used to and probably never will. I hate this part. So, I have done what I can to protect myself emotionally from the good-bye's. I just don't say them, I say see you later. I know at some point I am going to see this wonderful family that we have fallen in love with later because I have to believe that, that is the only thing that makes this any easier.

{got hugs/need hugs?}

I once again got 2 more "hugs" cards..........I love them!! Today's card came with this little stuffed "peep". But I have to admit, its making me crazy not knowing who sent them to me. I have begun a process of elimination by a few "clues" of my little hugs notes, but with more clues it becomes more confusing. I want to thank you for my cards and my little Peep, I absolutely love it!! But it really is making me crazy!! I am not one for secret pals, I just gotta be in the know!!

And while I received my (((hug))) via snail mail, I am sending out a bloggity blog (((hug))) and prayers to my peep "Flava K", that is her Gangsta Scrapper name (inside story). She is a very private person, so I will not go into detail, but she is having major surgery tomorrow and a biopsy. She has an incredible attitude about the whole thing, I really admire that about her. But she has definitely been on my mind the last few days. So, any prayers any of my readers could send her way would be greatly appreciated.

A day off tomorrow and the kids are on spring break. Lex is going to Charleston for the day with a friend and Action and I are going to be running a few errands and maybe hit "Horton Hears A Who". We'll see what the day holds, its spring and everything is new, so we will see where the day leads us....

{you might be a redneck}

I was initially going to title this particular post "Stupid Truck", but I decided to be a nice and supportive wife, much to my dismay, I might add. This truck, this "redneck" truck is one thing in our lives that I have not blogged about because I am not a "fan" of it and I have been attempting at living in a complete state of denial. It not only screams redneck, but it screams 10 miles to a gallon. But Mark bought this truck a few weekends ago and now it sits in not our driveway (thank goodness), but in the vacant (soon to be a house there someday) lot next to ours. I finally decided to blog about it because our neighbor's 3 year old son has been wanting a ride in that truck since he heard it coming down the road (probably long before it ever got off the highway) and we have been telling him later for the last few weeks...........But yesterday, Andrew FINALLY got his ride in that truck. And I got a few pics, so you know that I have to blog it NOW!!! so here it is .....pictures of the stupid truck!!

I realize that I have MIA for the last few days, I have literally not been online since my "circles" post. Why? Because I am still going in circles. I am doing a little bit better in getting it together. Yesterday was our neighbor's going away dinner, we had a Stuffed Baked potato party, we had a lot and I mean a lot of fun. My friend and fam fly out on Wednesday, they took off today for one last whirl in the Land of Mouse before heading out to the land of sushi, so we will get to see them for a few hours on Tuesday night. So, I am probably not going to fall apart until then. At least that's the plan.

Have a great Easter everyone. We have a brunch this morning at a neighbor's house and a passion play at a local church this afternoon. I am very excited about the passion play, but Mark has got me so nervous about it because he has talked about how "authentic' it is and I could never bring myself to watch "the Passion of the Christ", which we have on video because I didn't think that I could handle the "authenticity" of what happened to Christ. Plus, we are bringing our kids. So, hopefully it won't be too intense. Don' t eat too much chocolate or forget where you hid your eggs.

{circles}

Have you ever had a week where you can't get it "together"? Where you feel like you are running in circles both physically and emotionally??? That is me! that is where I am!! I think this must be what it feels like to have A.D.D........and its not pretty!!! I've got to much swirling in my head that I can't get it together with anything that I want or should be doing.....

My little peachy pal Lisa (i have always called her that because she is my bestest bud here in the peachy state of Georgia) is moving to Japan here in a few days. It is finally here, the big dreaded move and its been chaos in her life and I am in turn trying to help her out, but life in our household has not been so peachy......my son is crashing and burning in the 5th grade. I don't know what to do, I am so desperate to "fix" everything for him, but I can't and I know that I shouldn't because he needs to do that himself. He is becoming angry about school and how much he hates it, I can't tell if he is just rebelling or what.....then I am thinking about a very emotional anniversary that is coming up that hits me about every few hours, so I have been quite the basketcase this week. I have a good friend in Virginia that is having major surgery next week, she has been on my mind and in my prayers, too much going on in my head to even start and finish a load of laundry without thinking, "what was I doing?" On top of all of this, Easter is Sunday and we have made no plans........none.........I haven't gotten anything out.....i just want to close my eyes and skip it this year. I don't know why, it would just be so much easier.

I take some of that back, we are dying some eggs this afternoon because the packers are at my friends house and I thought it might be a great diversion for her kids and to help keep them out of her hair. So, hopefully that will get me in the Easter spirit. We haven't been to a church in awhile, that has been a huge issue here. We haven't found one that we are completely inspired with, but church on Easter is a must. Just another dilemna in a week of running in circles. Please Dear Lord, looking for a straight line........and a set of directions.

{To Kill A Mockingbird}

First of all, I just want to mention that I did NOT wear the goofy (or should I say Mickey) hat yesterday. Mark just took my picture in the hat last weekend. I just wanted to clarify that so that there would be no misunderstandings.......... I wouldn't want anyone "surprising" me with the "What Not to Wear" crew from TLC!


Alright, who has seen the Matthew McConnaghey(he's a HOTTIE, this has nothing to do with anything, I just couldn't help myself!) movie, "Failure to Launch"? Well, if you haven't click out and forget reading my post, you'll never actually get what I am saying here. If you have, welcome!!! It was the craziest thing.....I went to bed last night and heard a bird chirrping out my window and I thought how nice it was, Mark came to bed later and I said, "do you hear that bird?" because at this point I was having a really hard time staying asleep. It was like a stinken choir of birds right out of my window....He said, "yes". Well, at least I'm not crazy and hearing birds...All night long, those stupid, pain in the butt birds sang or chirpped or whatever you want to call it right out of my window and I couldn't sleep, but I was too tired to get up and move to the couch. The whole time I kept thinking about that stupid movie, where she goes and gets a BB gun and shoots him, then tries to recussitate him, and then he bites then end of the boyfriend's nose when they finally do recussitate him. I now know what she felt like. Those little boogers better be gone tonight. Where is a good kitty cat when you need them? Okay, I am totally kidding!!! Can't you take a joke??? Have a great day. I have a termite guy coming to re-do my bond, and my my little friend that is moving to Japan is coming over with all of her stuff that she's not taking (plants, spices, etc.)

{kiss me!}

I'm Irish.....well, only by marriage!! Happy St. paddy's Day!!! Have a great day everyone. don't forget to wear green.....don't want to get pinched!!!! We had a great weekend, the weather was gorgeous. Action had a birthday party yesterday that included a cook-out with the whole family and Lex hung out with her "boyfriend" and a bunch of friends. She was hoping for a beach day, but that unfortunately wasn't in the POD (plan-of-the-day). Anyway, I am off to "make the donuts". Hopefully, my co-worker will be back today....she is such a sweetie and makes it so much fun.....have a great day!!!!

{Kickin' It On Amelia!}

We spent the day out on Amelia Island so that Action could participate in his first soccer game of the year. It was an absolutely beautiful day, if you didn't mind the wind whippin' around and truthfully, we didn't!!! It was in the lower 80's which was a welcome temp from last weekend when it was quite a bit nippier and yesterday's drearier weather. Okay, here's a little story for the "hhhhmmmm, what would you do book?" Action's soccer club let's the kids pick out their own team name. He was sick at the practice that they picked their team name, but when he came home from this last practice and I asked him what their team name was he said he wasn't sure, but he thought it was "ass" and I said, "what?" He wasn't smiling and he didnt' think it was funny, he said "yeah, something like that, but I didn't really understand what they were saying". I told him, I don't think that's what it is and left it at that. I found out today that they are the "asps", I don't think that I can still bring myself to sit in the stands and scream "go Asps!". Am I wrong here or is it a little close to what Action actually thought his name was?? Are we going to get a "look" from other teams as we are cheering on our guys??Why would you , as the Coach, not encourage maybe a different name. Mark says that an Asp is snake, maybe go with a snake that is more known and aggressive like, we could be the Viper's. Now, that sounds scary! What kid suggested this?? And why would you go along with it?? AARRGGHH!! I am trying not to laugh and cry at the same time, its going to be a long season folks!! Action spent the entire game on the field because he was all over it, he did a great job. He couldn't believe that the coach never pulled him out, he was pretty proud of himself and the Coach complimented him on his playing at the end of the game. Pretty proud soccer player by the end of game. (and Mom & Dad too!!)

I also included a picture of a lily that I bought and planted in a large pot on my back patio. It had no flowers on it when I planted it and I kill absolutely everything. I understand that its early in the season yet, so I still have plenty of Kevorkian time, but it bloomed beautifully. So, I just had to share!!!

I am also super excited to hear from my little peep-a-rooni Lorrie who should be coming back from her missions trip to Honduras shortly, please pray for her safe return. I cannot wait to hear everything!!!!!!

{unexpected}

I woke this morning and drudged off for another day of work and mind you, I don't mind my job.I absolutely love the people that I work with, my job is fun, but lately we have been deader than dead and I have way tooooo much energy to not be busy and so the last couple of days I thought that I might just about loose my ever loving mind sitting in my teller chair when we haven't been very busy. Truth be told, yesterday I almost said, "well, since we aren't very busy, I'm going to just take off". But its a bank and I'm on the schedule. Also, I find myself "snacking" when we aren't busy and that is just a horrible habit that when I am busy, I just don't do. (FACT: Smarties do not make you smarter, they make you fatter, so they should be called Fatties? LOL, was that a bad joke?) Anyway, back to my "unexpected" day, because it was so slow, they asked me if I wanted to go ahead and take off at 2 o'clock. Well, I jumped at the chance!! I thought of the grocery store that I could hit and the laundry that was calling my name and some clean up that I could really do at home. So, whoo hoo, I was so outta there! On to my good part (Can I tell a story or what?), Mark called me to tell me that his old Master Chief from the USS Greeneville (lovingly referred to as the Green Evil) daughter, who we LOVE was in town with her 22 month old son and did I want him to invite her over to dinner. Heck yes!! I was so excited to see them. I used to drive and pick up this kid from school in Hawaii some.......clearing throat.....years ago. Now mind you, we have seen her quite often for years, but I haven't really seen her since the baby was born and I was so excited to see him. He was a total trip!! We had the best time reminiscing and playing with him, he is a smart cookie.......I love toddlers. Funny, but I am not a huge baby person, but I am lovin' the toddlers!! Just seeing how she has grown up and now she's a Mom, don't I feel old? But just a great surprise. It was just an unexpected good day.

{ordinary stuff}

just hanging out the last few days, not much going on exciting in snoozerville. i've been working all week because my co-worker that I love bigger than life is going to be out sick. The strangest thing happened on Monday......she was just standing in her teller window and a few minutes later she had a black eye. She didn't do anything to cause it, it just appeared. So, she went and had her heart and blood pressure checked at the local firestation (her husband is the firechief) and her EKG was way off. So, she went to the ER and she apparently has a heart that is always racing. So, they adjusted her meds and put her on a heart monitor and told her to take the week off. So, I am filling in for her. Which is great because after this past weekend, we could really use the dinero! Its been pretty quite here in credit/debit land and I have attempted to see if eating a bucket of "Smarties" actually make you any smarter. I will keep you posted and let you know the results of that scientific experience..............

Alright, different subject: who is freaking out about Easter sneaking up on us so fast. I am not believing how it seems like it is definitely coming early this year and the bummer is my kids really are too old for all of the fun stuff. Our neighborhood is having a big Easter egg hunt this weekend and I think that that sounds like so much fun, but of my kids gave me a look like "are you serious Mom?, we don't think so". They are just growing up way toooo fast. We haven't made any concrete plans for Easter or spring break, I'm thinking that if I don't think about it, then it will all take care of itself. That's the way its supposed to happen, right? Just like magic!

{that's just crazy talk!}

(snickers anyone? Only $5!!!)

17 years, that's just crazy talk, but that is how long Mark and I have been married as of today. Its just crazy! Sometimes I think that the time has flown by and then there are times that I think its been a long 17 years. Has it really only been 17 years, it feels like I have known this man my entire life....did I have a life before him. Then sometimes it seems like yesterday I was cruising around in my little silver Nissan sports car (now I can't remember what it was!) doing my thing with not a care in the world other than living with my parents and working a dead end job and looking for L-O-V-E and there he was, a handsome hubba hubba sailor in his polyester white uniform (okay, I am all for a man in uniform, but the polyester not so much!) and that was all she wrote......Anyway, back to our Anniversary, its been super great to have him home this time, there have been a lot of anniversaries where he has been out to sea or working too much to really acknowledge with anything more than a card, but this year even though it wasn't a "big" anniversary, we did something really fun and really unexpected and I mean really spur of the moment, but sometimes those are just the best!!......we went to Orlando (yeah, I know big shocker there!!!) just the 2 of us and stayed in a phenominal hotel that i would love to go to again and again and again!! (there was a mini bar in the room...I thought that was so much fun, we didn't have anything because I knew it was some major cha-ching, but I got a picture!). We stayed @ the Walt Disney Dolphin and its located on the lake that is connected to EPCOT and MGM. We did EPCOT for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday (that is where the freaky picture came from, Innoventions). We had dinner at a truly unique & mod restaraunt call Todd English's bluezoo. Then headed over to what was actually the highlight of the entire weekend, Jellyroll's Dueling Piano bar which is located on Disney's Boardwalk which was walking distance from our hotel. It was the best time and so hillarious, we didn't want to leave! A lot of the time I kept thinking about all of the people that I would love to bring there because I know how much fun they would have! Maybe one day.. who knows! But we are back in the real world today on our actual anniversary partaking of breakfast for dinner and sometimes that is just the best dinner ever.......

{Guess Who?}

Freaky isn't it?? And no, it isn't Roscoe McCainine!!

ITS MARKIE POO!!

{just call me Jodi!}

It has been quite an exciting day on the weather front here in southeastern Georgia, while working I sat here and literally and I mean literally watched a tornado form right in front of my eyes, it was like watching a train wreck!! The sky was greenish and the clouds were moving at an incredibly fast pace while they were coming together and there in the midst of it all, a tunnel. A tunnel that, thank God, never touched down. Then suddenly the wind started going insane, the street signs and carts in the adjacent shopping center were going everywhere and there was whistling. The cloud was moving towards where i lived and the local high school, we got online and they were saying that there was a tornado spotted right in our area and it was moving at 50 MPH. Thank goodness they had locked down the school. I 'm sure that Lex will have a story to tell and Action too when they get home. Anyway, I just had to get on here and report that I am not in Snoozerville today folks!!

UPDATE: I just thought that I would update everyone on my sister's stepdaughter, Ari. She has actually improved greatly!! Its been an amazing turnaround from the last few days! Thank you to everyone for all of your prayers, they were heard! Praise the Lord!

{But I knocked on wood!}

I knocked on wood!! Karen was on the phone with me and I did, she can be my witness, we were talking about our kids not getting sick in a long time and I said that I couldn't remember the last time that my kids were sick. And today, Action is running a fever with a headache, sore throat etc...I guess that I should have made sure that it was real wood, maybe it was fiberboard. Yeah, I'm sure that was it! Great, so now my kids sick! Lesson in this: always check the quality of the wood that you knock!

I have spent my day cleaning, doing laundry and the most dreaded task of all.......taxes. The thing is, its always been super easy because we haven't owned a house before and so it was wham, bam, here's your refund ma'am! but this year, I have lots to claim and I am going to claim it to the fullest extent!! So, making sure that we get all of our credits is the key and i want to make sure that we do. We were going to take it somewhere for them to do it, but I am smarter than I look and I'm cheap, and i can figure it out. So far, the only thing that I know (well at least I think I know) is that we bought a energy efficient washer/dryer and I thought that we got an energy credit, but I am not finding that on the form. That's the big yippee skippy in my snoozerville. I have no update on Ari, as soon as I do I will post it. But your continued prayers are much appreciated.

{little black cloud}

Its so weird, when I was growing up and most of my adulthood (up until 2 years ago), I have had the luxury of not having to really deal with death of a loved one unless it was an elderly person in our family and was "expected". I mean my great grandmother didn't pass away until she was 103 years old, at that point its "expected", none the less sad for the times with her that we'll miss, but she lived a full and happy life. But in the last 2 years, I have had 2 people and very young people, that were very close to me pass away. Its something that really haunts you for a very long time, and really (at this point) doesn't go away.

My sister called this AM crying, her 14 year old stepdaugher, Ari, has been hospitalized for several weeks with pneumonia and she has had 2 surgeries and isn't getting any better, at this point the doctors are throwing up their hands and say that they have no clue. Ari also has downs syndrome so they have been down this road quite a bit, but this time is different and they think that they might loose her this time. The heartache of that is too much to bare and I just hate to even think that they may have to go down that road. We love Ari, she is such a quirky, fun, unique little girl and I do ask for any prayers to be sent her way. I know that I would really appreciate it. That's it for tonight, I'm tired. Its been a long day. On top of it all, my Dad was in a car accident today and had to go to the hospital. He's okay, but seems to have whip lash. He will be sore tomorrow. .......go away little black cloud.....

{one peep down}

this weekend has been a really great weekend, we have had some awesome weather! true spring weather! that is always a huge plus in my book. all of this on a weekend when all of my "peeps" are at THE big weekend crop together, cropping for 3 days straight in a hotel, eating M&M's, scrapbooking, being silly, staying up all night, throwing twizzler's at police officer's (i've heard this and because I wasn't there, I am not bound by the: what happens at the crop stays at the crop), hat wearing extravaganza! So, i was worried that i was going to be quite bummed this weekend knowing that they were missing me so much. I mean how terribly sad for them. My scrapbooking advice, my "Darleen-isms", it just wasn't going to be the same for them. Ah, I'm just kidding, truth be told, I was afraid that I was going to struggle this weekend knowing how much I was missing out on and I really did. But I survived.....I hung out with my "peachy pal" yesterday and we did a little shopping and had one of the funnest (I know that's not a word, but what the hey!) lunch!!! We hit a new mexican restaraunt and just had a blast, don't know why, we just did!!! Then did a little perusing of the sales, she actually bought a pair of some of the cutest flippy flops (giraffe prints), but i had self control... And today Mark and I re did all of the flower beds and I planted and got new flowers for the porch. We are ready for spring and if we get another freeze, well, you know.......................I hope my peeps know, they were one peep down for the Spring crop, but they aren't going to get that lucky in the Fall!!

{the accidental tourist}

I have a problem and I don't honestly know what to do about it. I have always had the need and its just getting worse. I say need, maybe its just intense desire to go and see and do. I was talking with a friend a few days ago about my desire to see so many things and she looked at me like I had a chicken on my head. She was born and raised right here, she hasn't really been anywhere and doesn't have a real big desire to go anywhere else. I have no understanding of that. Lately, I am climbing the walls of my home to go, go, go.....Go where??? I want to see New York City, I want to take Mark to the coast of California and let him see and experience the wonderful adventure that I did a few years ago. I have been thinking lately how much I want to take the kids back to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole, they would love it!! We haven't been there since we lived in Idaho when Lex was barely a year old. I've also thought how fun it would be to jump on an airplane and go to Vegas for a few days, not to gamble. Okay, a few quarters in a slot machine, but mostly I want to see a few shows and I've heard that there are some awesome hotels to check out. I want to make it back to Colorado, the Durango area to be exact. It is so gorgeous. I should be so grateful for what I have seen because it has been a lot more than a lot of people. We lived in Hawaii, I grew up in Orlando (the land of mouse and fabulous entertainment!! So much fun all the time!), we went to the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole. We've seen Washington DC, Amish country, Gettysburg, beautiful beach vacations. The kids and I toured the whole Coast from Beverly Hills to San Fran and that was a trip of a lifetime. Its so funny because I was telling Mark that I want to see and experience so many places, but I am not totally grandeur, its not like I want to see the "world". I am good to start out with our own country. And once I am done there, I would start with Ireland.... I have all of these crazy travel desires that I think about a lot, but no dinero to pay for them. Mark said if I started to work full time, then we could take bigger trips, then what would the cost be. Who would pay that price, my family? my kids? my sanity? Also, I see the full time people struggling to get that week when they want it, coordinate with school and spouse. I think that I was just born the accidental tourist.