What 44 looks like

This picture of me was taken on 8/29/08 - 44 years after I was born. I took several versions--some with flash, and some without. I kinda liked this one because of the light flashing in the mirror:



The gang at work got me a funny musical card and a tasty cake. We ate all the words, but we left the roses so that John Sam and Caroline could enjoy them.



Later, I got this great photo of me and my two little precious angels!

B'day Trivia

I recently read in the newspaper that the month with the most birthdays is August. :)

So tomorrow at 3:52 p.m., I will take a moment to celebrate myself in honor of my birthday, and all other August birthdays. I haven't worked on my birthday in 20+ years, so being at work might irritate me just for a few minutes, but then I'll snap out of it. I've already gotten cards, e-mails, and phone calls wishing me many happy returns. It's nice to have so many people remember and send their well wishes.

I will definitely take a picture of myself to commemorate the day, and try to get it posted sometime on my ACTUAL BIRTHDAY, haha!

I can so sew!

I found an old dress in the closet over the weekend. By "old" I mean, pre-children and pre-wedding. Back in the day, it was one of my most worn dresses, and in one of my favorite pictures of me and Sam (when it was just me and Sam, LOL), I'm wearing said old dress. There used to be some gold buttons on it, but when I found the dress, I discovered they were dull and yucky looking. So I went to Joann's with my little 40% coupon and got some new buttons. It's a little pathetic how happy sewing some new buttons on my old dress made me. But there's nothing like getting a good deal, and doing a little bit of old-fashioned handiwork to bring new life to something old.

Outta time

Never seem to have enough time for even a little of my stuff these days. Scrapbooking? WTF is that?! Returning phone calls? Oh, that's happening. And I'm so behind on the soaps, I'll have to get the "Recaps" online...... if I ever get a minute to go there. HA!

Saturday Tails

A lot of creativity is expressed when it's too rainy to play outside. We are all sick of Fay, but the kids are still having fun pretending. Tomorrow I'll post other stuff I/we did.

Wednesday Blah

Don't know if it's the lack of sunshine or PMS, but today I had the blahs. We didn't get any time off at work for the stupid wanna-be hurricane. It has rained more today than yesterday and there was a lot more wind today, too. There are a few large trees in different places along our commute to school that I really don't like to drive under for fear that they'll drop on top of my 11 year old car, ha!

The kids were happy to go back to their "new" school, and I got them both a T-shirt with the logo and school colors to wear on Spirit Fridays. I had to run out to Publix to get snacks for Caroline and her classmates; since our last name starts with "B" we were the first name on the list for Snack Day. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be drinks or food, so I got Capri Sun pouches and some graham crackers. I liked the fact that the Capri Suns don't have any dye--it looks like water but is grape flavored! John Sam's teacher sent me a note that they are in love with him already. Of course--what did they expect? He brought home a puzzle he got from the treasure box and I think he's on the floor in his room putting it together instead of sleeping.

Looking forward to some sunshine very soon. That always perks me up. Vitamin D, perhaps--or maybe I just need a little more light. ;0

All I can say is "Hmmmmmmmmmmm"

To take up the cross of Christ is no great action done once for all; it consists in the continual practice of small duties which are distasteful to us. -John Henry Newman

First Day of School 2008

Here are John Samuel and Caroline Grace on the first day of school at Lake Como. He's in 2nd grade, and she's in kindergarten. Typing that makes me feel really old - ha! Traffic was minorly annoying, but it could've been worse, and drop-off went smooth as silk. I even got to take a picture of them on school grounds before I had to rush off to the office. They were so cute in their new outfits; they've always worn uniforms before, so freestyle dress is a new and welcome change. Big smiles, big backpacks, and big hopes for a great year.

More paperwork and forms came home with their slick new binders. The binders are used as communication between the school and the family. I already like that. Due to Tropical Storm Fay--that wench isn't even a hurricane--most of the area schools are closed tomorrow. We don't know if school will be open on Wednesday, either, so we get a little break after one busy day.

We're all very tickled that we get to sort of sleep in tomorrow. Our office isn't closed, but they said depending on weather reports, we might close early. I saw tonight that right around 5 pm is when it will be close to Orlando, so I think at least by about 3 pm they'll let us go home. Sure hope the bank doesn't close early, though!

Don't you agree these are some "mah-vel-ous" looking children?! I was a bit taken aback by how grown up they look. But they're not! They're still just babies! Babies, I tell you! Honest! And they always will be! {~wink~}

Barely time to blog

Today was the kids' last day of summer vacation. They were lazy (and rightfully so) and I was the busy one! Laundry, dishes, pancakes, more dishes, vacuuming, mopping, filling out school forms, making uber-cute name tags for the kids' new lunchboxes & backpacks and taking pix of them, and making up snack bags for lunch and afternoon snacks. Then I wanted John Sam and Caroline to sort of "match" on their respective first days of second grade and kindergarten, so I had to iron a shirt for JS and then did a couple of items for my workweek. Just started the dishwasher, and I'm gonna catch up on the details of Hurricane Fay before I hit the sack. Definitely getting up early so I can take some First Day of School pictures and get them posted.

Nighty-night! ;-)

William Quotes and Website

A lot of quotes have been speaking to me recently. Here are two of the ones I've liked that I've seen in the last few days:

• "What's past is prologue . . ." (William Shakespeare, The Tempest)

• "We speak of "choosing," of "making friends." What we can choose and make is not the friend, but opportunity for contact. When contact happens, something higher than our will chooses for us." (William Gannett)

Didn't realize until just now that both first names are William. haha

Here's a cool website I found while looking for something else (how many times does that happen?!):

http://www.enotes.com/

Lots of good stuff on there. Since I didn't click a lot, I bookmarked it to go back later. Sure wish I'd known about that site when I had to read the Canterbury Tales!

Semi Southern Cooking

Even though these drop biscuits aren't from scratch, they are totally delicious and you know how I love using my silicone brush to put the real butter on. The crock pot is my current Best Friend Forever. Sam cut up the veggies and I put everything in with roasted garlic chicken broth. With a little work, a delicious pot roast is the result! We all had a little rice on the side--

Canine Haiku Part 2

Black Labrador is
sending me strong signals of
crunchy white rawhide.

August 11 is the day I found Kismet Dobbins Baumgardner. Mere words sound kinda meaningless when I try to say how much I miss him. Such a kind spirit, and with the heart of a wise, strong warrior he kept watch over me and mine. It brings me comfort to think he's still doing it, and that he still considers it his pleasure.



This one is from Kismet's 12th birthday. Showing his age a little, but he was very much beloved then and now.

Happy Birthday, Colleenie Bobeenie!

"Yes'm, old friends is always best, 'less you can catch a new one that's fit to make an old one out of." -Sarah O. Jewett

I met Colleen in middle school (7th grade, I believe), and she was so pretty and friendly. As a Southern girl, I laughed at her Boston accent, but she was a good sport and we became fast friends. We cheered together, learned to drive together, partied together, threw up together (sorry, had to put that!). No doubt we've had the best of times--SuperFreaks Forever! We've had a spat or two, but then again, the best of friends know that arguing or disagreeing doesn't change the friendship.

She may not realize it, but she's one of the people I admire most. In addition to being a wonderful person, she's a wife and the mom of four beautiful boys, and has often helped me with my own kids. Her crafty and sewing abilities are top notch, and some of the Christmas ornaments I treasure most are handmade gifts from her. At my wedding, she stood by me, and I've always known she's one of the girlfriends I can count on in this world--no matter what. Countless times she's dried my tears and offered invaluable advice. Having a living example of what true friendship is all about is one of my greatest blessings. Lucky me.

Happy Birthday to my old friend--may your day be full of fun and happy things. Love you!!

The Loot

I must admit I've always been an office supplies dork. Nothing makes me happier than to have a huge variety to choose from, and today I was in hog heaven. Here is the loot from Walmart, a/k/a school spplies for the kids.

Weekend plans

I feel tired tonight because staying up late to watch the news is finally catching up to me. Not as young as we used to be, eh? This weekend we are going to be on the move. Tomorrow we are going to Lake Como for a new kindergarteners' playdate. They are doing a tour of the school and having snacks, and we are hoping to meet some new friends that we get to know this upcoming school year. I got a school supply list faxed to me today at work (don'tcha love technology?!) and I was surprised at the quantities they were requesting. For Caroline's kindergarten class: 25 glue sticks? For John Sam's 2nd grade class: 48 pencils? I thought these were typos, so I called to clarify. Yes, those are the proper amounts. I can just picture 18-20 five year olds, all with their 25 glue sticks--quick math means 450-500 glue sticks in all. What the #@*&?? Seems the economy's budget crunch is truly touching everyone.

After that, I'm letting Daddy take the kids and going to the hair salon all by my lonesome to get my hair cut & colored. Then it's off to Wally World for the supplies, and possibly back to Target to exchange the polo shirt I bought for John Sam which was the wrong size. Somewhere in between all these little errands, the laundry beckons. My arch nemesis!

Sunday is Pancake Day, and I hope to go out for a little while by myself. I've needed some beige flats, but apparently this isn't the time of year to find that particular color at Payless Shoes, so I'm gonna check at JC Penney's. They're supposed to be having a sale that's equivalent to the tax-free holiday--we'll see what they've got.

Dang, no wonder I'm tired......

Criminal Minds quote

Last night I heard a quote at the end of the TV show Criminal Minds. I didn't catch the name of who said it, and there is more to it, but I really loved this part so it's all I remembered:

"The most authentic thing about each of us is that which we create."

I create a lot of different things, and didn't really think about just how much of me is reflected in whatever results from that creativity. I think I should be mindful of this from now on.

=)

I got the money

After I got home the day of my job interview, Caroline asked me, "Mommy, did you get the money?" I guess she thought they'd give me some just for showing up! ;0

That was back in mid-July. Fast forward a few weeks, and today was my first payday. I feel great, not to mention productive. Busy and contributing to household income. Oh yeah baby - SHOW ME THE MONEY!

(Blurry photograph courtesy of Master John Sam Baumgardner!)

The Watch-woman

Photographically, this one stinks. But it's so cute to see how Miss Jones goes around looking after the kids. If they were hairier, she'd probably think they were her puppy babies!

{will insert photo here when "Blogger" gets the bug out of its ass and lets me upload . . . GRRRRRR!}

Read-Recycle-Repeat

At work the other day, we celebrated one of the paralegals who earned her law degree online. While we sipped really good champagne and ate calorie-laden chocolate cake, we chatted about how different things were in the workplace before Federal Express, e-mail, and fax machines. One of the attorneys predicted that in 10 years or so, the US Post Office would cease to exist because handwriting and handwritten letters were going the way of dinosaurs. Someone else mentioned newspapers and books would also become extinct, or at the very least, unwanted.

I shudder to think what my world would be like without a newspaper to hold in my hands. I don't care how uppity the universe becomes, I'm not giving up my newsprint (or my magazines or books, for that matter). It's just not the same when I read news online versus holding the flimsy paper that folds the wrong way and gets ink all over my hands. And give up reading genuine books? I'd sooner cut off one of my fingers. I figure the best way for me to lend my support not only to the written word, but also a beloved method of its delivery, is to read, recycle, and repeat--as often as daily.

Long live the written arts!

Can't think of anything to say today

So I will just admit that and move on. At least I have a new post for August, haha.