Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July, Happy Independence Day! Whatever it is you call it, I hope you all have a safe and fun holiday!

After one of the parties in our neighborhood last night, I wonder what TONIGHT will bring! This kid must have invited every single person he has ever met. Most of the people on my street park in their driveways or garages so there are not many cars on the street. Last night every single inch of available street parking was for his guests. And his house is about 1100 square feet so I don't know where they all fit!

Today, we will be celebrating the 4th at my brother-in-law's house. His little grand-daughter (my great niece?) is turning 1 this week so it's a combo Independence Day/birthday party over there. I just love one year old parties! The little ones always look so cute with frosting in their hands and on their faces. I haven't seen the little one since Christmas so I'm sure she has changed quite a bit since then!

My BIL is also quite the pyromaniac so I'm sure there will be plenty of fireworks all around. Good thing he is also a paramedic in case something goes horribly awry!

Have a safe and happy 4th! And thank you to all our military personnel (past and present) who have fought and served to make our country what it is.

Where Has The Time Gone?

OMG! I was surfing around some blogs today and thought, "Hmm.... I haven't updated my blog in a little while. Let's go post something." Ummm..... seriously? Almost a year? That's insane!

And yet as I read through some of my last posts, not much has changed. I have such a boring life. I love it that way!

Let's see if I can recap in bullets:

• Amy made it through her freshman year of college! Things got tons better when her roommate moved out at semester. But all in all, she LOVED college.
• Things at work settled down quite a bit. There was some restructuring done and it really was for the best. I am working, busy as ever, and loving my job.
• I became a demonstrator for Stampin' Up! in November. My blog for that adventure can be found HERE. I would really like to do some more classes and demonstrations so if you or anyone you know are interested and live in the area let me know!
• I still can't buy Playtex tampons at Costco. (I KNOW you have been wondering!)
• Bunco with the ladies is going strong. I have made some really special friends and wouldn't trade them for the world.
• We had an AWESOME vacation in Boston this year. THAT'S something I could post about. Duh!

I think that's about it for today! Let's see how I do in posting this next year, huh? If you have any ideas for subjects for me or really burning questions about something, leave me a note!

Sunday Visit

On Sunday we went to visit Amy at college for the first time. She was feeling a bit homesick, we were missing her like crazy and she needed a light for her bike so we decided that sounded like a trifecta and off we went!

We were so excited to see her! And it was great to see how she has made her room look. It's awesome! Everything (on her side) is all organized and neat. She bought some posters and had one of the young men on her floor help her hang them. It really is starting to look like a home away from home.


After she put away all the stuff we brought that either a)wouldn't fit in the truck two weeks earlier or b)she had forgotten to pack, we decided to run a few errands. First up was Target to return some hangers and pick up a few things and then off to King Soopers for some groceries. We stayed in the older part of town and it was so cool to see a regular Target (as opposed to a SuperTarget) and the grocery store looked like the ones here in town looked about 20 years ago. It was nostalgic!

We drove around town for a bit and then stopped in at a cool bike shop just west of campus to get a bike light. Since none of us had eaten much for lunch, we decided to grab an early dinner. We got to Carraba's about 4 and seriously we were only the third table in the restaurant. We even beat the white-haired crowd! The food was awesome and it was so nice to have a meal as a family.

While at dinner, Amy came up with a great idea to go to the movies. There is a theater about five blocks from the restaurant so we went over to see what was playing. Unfortunately, we were about ten minutes too late for the show we REALLY wanted to see (500 Days of Summer) but we were about 15 minutes away from the next showing of Julie and Julia. It was just as good the second time seeing it!



After the show we took Amy back to her dorm. I had been worried earlier in the day that saying goodbye again was going to be as rough as it had been two weeks earlier. It was so much better this time! We had spent an excellent day together, having shenanigans and basically making her dad regret the decision to go for a visit. Just kidding but, really?, when we get together we tend to get a little silly and I think we embarrass him a little. It was pretty much a repeat of the time we were in Seattle and he about left us there. I know he really wanted to!



The visit refreshed all of us and made us realize that we can do this thing! We just need some little visits in between the big visits. And we are so grateful to be less than two hours away.

Girlfriends

During the four years that Amy was in high school marching band, there were several other moms that I got friendly with. I got to know some of them better by sitting with them in the stands for hours on end, some by standing side by side as we served food to 120 kids, some by the selling of various products for fundraisers, and some of them by a combination of ALL of those things! Most of the ladies that I got to know the best had kids that were either in my daughter's class or the class right ahead of hers. We were all going through the same struggles and triumphs with our kids; who had so-and-so for a teacher, who was dating who, what colleges did they apply to?

Two of the moms and I are becoming fast friends. We have gone to the movies and out to dinner, and I see one of them almost every day now that we have coordinated our gym time to ride the monotonous stationary bikes at the same time (it's amazing how much faster the time goes when you can just chat with a friend). But I wanted to make sure that I would somehow keep in touch with these other women. They mean something to me and so do their kids, many of whom I have known since grade school.

I had a feeling that all of us were going to be needing other moms to talk to soon as all of us had moved our kids in to various colleges within the last two weeks. So I invited 15 of these ladies over for a night of bunco and all but three of them were able to come. Guys? We had a blast!

We started off having some appetizers (way too many!) and some sangria and just talking about our experiences with our girls (and boy) and how they were adjusting to college life. It was so awesome to hear the stories and know that each and every one of them are going through the same sorts of things that my daughter is going through. I think every one of us was so grateful to hear that other kids were having some of the same struggles that our own kids are facing. And the conversation has changed a little bit from when the kids were in high school, but as I listened in on the stories, we all were asking the same questions. How is the roommate situation? Are the classes hard? Are they making new friends or hanging out with kids from high school? It was so good to not feel alone.

And then we played bunco! Some of us (like me!) had never played before and some had played a time or two and were able to help out with the first couple of rounds. We had such a good time talking, laughing, zinging each other in friendly competition. And drinking sangria. Lots of sangria.

I think everyone said that they would definitely want to get together on a monthly basis and play! So we are all set for September already and I am so looking forward to hearing from everyone again and finding out if M got a new roommate, if H is still feeling sad, if H2 is making more friends, if they have all escaped the H1N1 flu. And I look forward to hearing how we, as moms, are adjusting. Are WE feeling more confident, are WE adjusting to buying fewer groceries and doing more of our own chores around the house? And most of all, I look forward to laughing with my friends over three dice. And drinking sangria.

And She's Off!

August 23rd? For REAL? What a crazy couple of months it has been. Work has been fairly busy and getting Amy ready for college was hectic too. And now fall is almost here. But you won't hear ME complaining about that! I LOVE FALL!

Anyway, the last few weeks have been spent making Target runs, setting up new technology, making Target runs, bra shopping, school supply shopping, and going back to Target for just one more thing. As if they don't have a Target anywhere but here. But the shopping is now done. At least for me.

Last Monday we took Amy off to school. The kids who are in marching band had to move in on the 17th instead of the 20th. Which is kinda cool because I understand we avoided all sorts of crowds by moving in three days earlier than the rest of campus.

The Plan: spend Sunday night at a hotel near campus so we can get an early start at 8:00, start moving in, Amy to run off at 9:00 to get registered for band and back at dorm by 10:00. Unpack from 10 to 11:30. Say our goodbyes in the dorm room. Amy to go to lunch with new band friends and report to the field at 12:30. Mom and Dad stay back to unpack a bit and then drive back home. Doesn't that sound nice? Carefree? Not too stressful?

Reality: spend Sunday night at a hotel near campus and got our early start about 8:15, fill out paperwork and pick up keys, locate room and hotel style baggage cart (good job with these, CSU! you have done this a time or two!) and start moving things into room. Rearrange furniture to Amy's liking. Start unpacking. Realize that bookcase is not going to fit. Start hanging up clothes to go in closet (that incidentally does NOT look like the one in the pictures and has a hanging bar at waist level. WTF?) and realize we don't have enough hangers.

Amy starts texting her friend at 9:15. Where are you? Friend won't be there to pick her up until 10. Keep unpacking. Ask Amy if maybe we should say our goodbyes then since it's going to be hectic. No, she will definitely be back at the dorm by 11:45. Off she goes to register. Dad does a Target run to get a shower caddy that will work, some shelves and some plastic drawers (refer back to the closet not being like the ones we had been shown). Mom keeps unpacking. Mom does a lot of wondering. "Where will this fit? Why did she bring this? For REAL?" Stuff like that.

Mom gets text that says Amy is still standing in line for a uniform. And several more during the next hour that are along the same vein. At 12:15 mom gets an actual phone CALL (you know it's bad when I get a call instead of a text) that says there is no way Amy is going to make it back to the dorm before she has to report to the field and can we please bring her her tennis shoes, a water bottle, something to eat since she didn't get lunch? And do all that and be across campus in less than 10 minutes so she's not late? Find all the above mentioned items including a slightly bruised banana that I'm so glad I didn't have time to eat, and fly out to the car. Drive down street with no outlet. Turn around. Wait in traffic. Drive to the UCA building but take two detours because of street construction. Find parking lot but no spaces and park in the fire lane. Run as fast as my knee will let me to where she is waiting (with a high school friend and her parents - thanks, Caroline and Rick for waiting with her). Hand her her things and give her a huge hug. Try to calm her, as she is frustrated, mad and sad. Hug her some more, kiss her head a million times, wipe away tears (hers and mine) and off she goes.

I like the PLAN version better. Although the dramatic movie version of reality makes for a better story. I'm sure I will find clever ways to embellish it over the years. :)

We spoke on the phone yesterday though and, while Monday and Tuesday were kinda rough, she is having a good time and meeting lots of new people. Classes start tomorrow and I know she's a little nervous about that but it will be FINE!

We have a mother/daughter blog in the works and I'll link here when we get our first post up. I hope we're as funny in print as we are think we are in real life.

It Is No Fun Getting Old

Oh my gosh, guys! There has been much physical drama with me lately and I'm frankly a little bit sick of it!

I started having trouble with my left knee shortly after my daughter's graduation. If you have ever been to Red Rocks Amphitheater you know that is one gorgeous place and we were very fortunate to get to observe graduation there. But if you click on the link and look at the photos you can see that there are tons of stairs. In fact, the park is one of the more popular places around here to work out. All that running up and down the stairs and benches really works you out! So anyway, all that up and down the stairs irritated my knee.

It wasn't getting better so I went to the doctor who sent me to an orthopedist. He diagnosed me with chondromalacia patella. Basically, I have blistered the cartilage in my knee. So he prescribed physical therapy and I went. I went three times, learned some exercises, she ran electricity through my knee (THAT was weird!) and then when I wasn't really improving she sent me back to the doc.

Last Friday, I made an appointment on Monday for a follow up. Then on Saturday I was in my basement and the doorbell rang. So I took off up the stairs to see who it was and got about four or five steps up when POP! I heard and felt it in my knee and I was down. Oh my gosh it hurt!

So I kept my appointment on Monday and basically, nothing new is going on! It's still the same old cartilage problem. They gave me a cortisone shot that they said would make things feel better (it does NOT!) and he prescribed riding a stationary bike four days a week. Guys? Can you think of anything more boring? I have GOT to get this thing healed! It is driving me nuts. I mean, going on two months of it not feeling well and I have a sinking feeling that I am in for a long haul. I am going to do exactly what he says to do but I'm really scared it's never going to get better.

So if you are the praying type, can I ask you to pray for my knee to be restored? And for blessings on my family who have been so helpful to me? Thanks so much!

Meme

Susan at Love, Life and Labradors posted this meme this week and I thought it was one of the better ones I have seen. That, combined with my recent laziness, means that you get to read ridiculous nonsense about me! Yay for you!

1. What kind of SOAP is in your bathtub right now? Bath and Body Works Island Sea Cotton and Lever 2000. For my 2000 parts. (Remember those commercials?)

2. Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator? No.

3. What would you change about your living room? I would like a new rug.

4. Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty? Clean. Yes, I know I should just empty it but it's my life's mission to make Amy do that each and every night after dinner. And since I only get to take advantage of that for 40+/- days I am going to milk it for all it's worth.

5. What is in your fridge? Plain low fat yogurt, 2% milk, black and red plums, pudding cups, hot dogs, cherries, limp celery and cheese. And leftover chicken pot pie.

6. White or wheat bread? Both!

7. What is on top of your refrigerator? A bag of potato chips, 1/2 a bag of tortilla chips, a Costco-sized box of hot chocolate and a 5 lb. bag of sugar. I hate that I have so little cupboard space in my house that things have to be on top of my fridge.

8. What color or design is on your shower curtain? Yellow, blue red and white stripes.

9. How many plants are in your home? Only one. The rooms where I have light I don't have flat surfaces for placing plants on.

10. Is your bed made right now? My "made" do you mean dogs laying all over it? Then no.

11. Comet or Soft Scrub? Comet.

12. Is your closet organized? Which closet? My bedroom closet is not a pit but I wouldn't call it organized either.

13. Can you describe your flashlight? Large, blue and metal.

14. Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home? Plastic for cold drinks, glass for coffee.

15. Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now? No.

16. If you have a garage, is it cluttered? The edges are a little cluttered but I can fit my car in there.

17. Curtains or blinds? Most of my rooms have warm window roman shades. Except my living room which has blinds for the time being.

18. How many pillows do you sleep with? Two, one for my head and one for my knees.

19. Do you sleep with any lights on at night? No it has to be absolutely dark.

20. How often do you vacuum? Only about once a week. I only have one area rug. Now if you ask how often I sweep it's more like every other day.

21. Standard toothbrush or electric? Standard.

22. What color is your toothbrush? White with an orange stripe down the back.

23. Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch? No.

24. What is in your oven right now? A piece of foil that contained the overspill from making chicken pot pie. I actually remembered to put it down first so baking my dinner didn't make my smoke alarm go off!

25. Is there anything under your bed? Two plastic containers for Tim's out of season clothes.

26. Chore you hate doing the most? Scrubbing the shower.

27. What retro items are in your home? My house itself is retro! Built in 1961 it is the epitome of the 60's ranch houses. And I have a 1956 Singer sewing machine.

28. Do you have a separate room that you use as an office? Yes, the front bedroom.

29. How many mirrors are in your home? Six.

30. Do you have any hidden emergency money around your home? No, just a change jar.

31. What color are your walls? Every room is different! Green, tan, red, blue, yellow and brown.

32. Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home? No, unless you count my freaky black lab. She'll cut you.

33. What does your home smell like right now? Coffee.

34. Favorite candle scent? Aunt Kooks Apple Cider. Cannot. Get. Enough.

35. What kind of pickles (if any) are in your refrigerator right now? None. But I would LOVE it if I had some spicy bread and butter pickles.

36. What color is your favorite Bible? Brown.

37. Ever been on your roof? No.

38. Do you own a stereo? Yes.

39. How many TVs do you have? Two.

40. How many house phones? Three.

41. Do you have a housekeeper? No. But I think about it every week!

42. What style do you decorate in? Casual with a touch of country.

43. Do you like solid colors in furniture or prints? Both. My current living room furniture has a print for the body and solid cushions. I love it!

44. Is there a smoke detector in your home? Three of them actually.

45. In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you'd grab if you only could make one quick trip? My dogs, photo albums and computer. That is assuming the rest of the family is helping with this quest.