Happy Happy Happy

Happy Anniversary to my parents! Here they are on their wedding day. It all started with a blind date. His roommate was dating her roommate (they are still married too) and they hooked up for a wild & crazy New Year's Eve double-date. Sparks flew and a February 6th wedding was planned. A big snowstorm pushed the date back almost a week and they got hitched on the 12th, a full 43 days after they met each other. 36 years ago.

Happy Birthday to my younger brother Toby. Here I am reminding my parents that even though he is absolutely adorable I am still the first child. The oldest. The one who gave them the gift of parenthood. I am still a firstborn child like that.

And lastly, Happy Valentine's Day to You!! Hope you have a great one :)

Wordless Wednesday -- Join the Party

You can't ever say I don't share with my kids!

Let the Truth be Known

It's been 13 years and I am finally ready to fess up. Finally ready to spill my guts. Tell the truth. Let my entire family know the real reason I joined the Army.

Here's my parents' weather forecast for this week:

Today: Snow. Snow will be heavy at times this morning. High 18F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Additional snow accumulating 6 to 10 inches. Heavier amounts in persistent snowbands.

Tonight: Snow showers early will taper to flurries later on. Low around 5F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 60%. 2 to 4 inches of snow expected.

Tomorrow: Cloudy. Snow likely in the afternoon. Cold. High 22F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 70%. Snow accumulating 2 to 4 inches.

Tomorrow night: Cloudy with snow. Low around 20F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Significant snow accumulation possible.

Wednesday: Snow showers in the morning. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the upper teens.

Thursday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 20s and lows in the low 20s.


Here's mine:

Today: Partly cloudy. High 74F.

Tonight: Mainly clear. Low around 45F.

Tomorrow: Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High around 60F.

Tomorrow night: Clear skies. Low 32F.

Wednesday: Abundant sunshine. Highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low 40s.

Thursday: Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 30s.

Note To Self

Do not take the boys to the store when you have the flu.

Today as I swam my way through the fog that was my afternoon filled with congestion, fever, body aches, chills, extreme fatigue, and strangely strong decongestants that are a major understatement when they say may cause drowsiness, I took the boys to the grocery store to buy lunch box supplies. Somehow we ended up with $4.15 Fruit Loop Cereal Straws. What?!?

Sweet as a Peach

I called my Gram a little while ago to ask her about some recipes for Super Bowl Sunday. That's the only thing I care about on Super Bowl Sunday ... the food. Well, that and the commercials. They are usually darn funny. Anyway, we got talking about how we were both a little under the weather. She said that when she wasn't feeling well she likes to eat peaches. I said that I craved peaches when I was pregnant. I said, "Oh yeah, I remember that you like peach ......" I was trying to think of Crystal Light but I lost the word for a moment and she came on the line with "Schnapps!" I was shocked! Gram! My Gram! My 75 year old Gram! Then she told me a story about how she and my aunt Kathy got her realtor liquored up on Peach Schnapps during the deal to close on her first home so that they could get a better deal. Yup, my Gram. She's as sweet as a peach. And I never even knew it!

Happy Birthday Dad

The Grocery Store

I am sure you will all be glad to know that I made the time to go to the grocery store. I try to be the best mother I can be at all times, even if that means sacrificing my own personal time to do mundane errands such as grocery shopping.

Congratulations Charissa

My friend Charissa (from the college) got married today. Congratulations Charissa & DJ!

Wordless Wednesday -- Time to Go Grocery Shopping???

Living Vicariously

I keep telling my friend Mandy that she should start a blog. She takes great pictures, she has three kids that keep her on her toes, she works in a preschool, and she has a wonderful sense of humor. So today she is going to (unwillingly) live vicariously through my blog. Pretend this is her blog. Pretend this is her post. Pretend she wanted to write it. And most importantly, pretend she isn't going to get mad for me writing it without permission.

It's about Wacky Wednesday at the preschool where she works. The comments come from the email she sent me with her picture.

A few remarks about my wackiness ...

"You've got heart." -- Rusty (her husband)

"Not many women could pull off that color without looking like a working girl." -- Brandi (her co-worker)

"You look like you're from the 80's with your hair like that." -- Katie and Marcy (two of the preschool moms)

"I want you to wear a little hair bow." -- Alex (her son)

Let the Pre-Teen Years Begin

Do you remember when you were a teenager and you stayed out until all hours of the night? You didn't think twice (or once for that matter) about your parents, did you? I didn't. I didn't think about how they had to wait up for me. I didn't think about how even if they said they were going to be in bed when I got home that they were really just in bed listening for the door so that they knew I was home safe. Or at least my mom was anyway. The rule was that I'd have to knock on her bedroom door to tell her when I got home. Then ... lucky her ... about 5 hours after I got home she'd be waking up to go to work. And I'd sleep for about 5 more hours without thinking twice about the sacrifice she had made for me the night before. I did this from the time I was 14 until I was 18. She probably worried about me until I moved out of the house at 20 even though I didn't have to ask permission to go out anymore. So that's six years of waiting up. I have two younger brothers. I think Toby started going out with his friends when he was 13. I am not sure when Shelley started going out with his friends. But he is five years younger than me. And he didn't move out until he was about 20. So it's safe to say my mom didn't sleep well from the time I was 14 until he was 20. That's 11 straight years! I mean, a mother barely has time to recover from the baby/toddler years when she has to start in with the teenage years! What is my point, you ask? Or maybe you aren't asking. Maybe I am simply exhausted and trying my hardest to stay awake while I wait for my 11-year old redneck to get home from a birthday party. Yes, that's my point. Birthday parties for 5th graders are not on Saturdays from 2 pm to 4 pm any more. That's simply not cool. They are Friday nights until 11 pm (or later!) He's at a skating rink right now. Fortunately the parents of the birthday kid are giving tonight's guests a ride home, but still ... it's my turn to wait up. Let the pre-teen years begin.

Joanna Lee

This is my friend Joanna. We've been friends since we met in middle school. She is one of the sweetest and kindest people I know. She is a teacher in Virginia and I follow my soldier all over the world so we don't get to see each other often enough. Neither one of us is very good at keeping in touch, but she knows I love her and I know she loves me :) We both try to plan our trips to NY so that we can see each other there. When the boys and I are traveling up the east coast she always has a warm meal and a soft bed us. Regardless of how little we see each other she is always in my heart.

Yesterday I came home from a long, cold, tiring day at school and found a surprise on the front step. It was a package from Joanna. Her cute little sparkly card said that she was in the store and saw some Christmas ornaments that made her think of me. She said that she didn't even know that I collected ornaments until she read it on my blog. So I guess my blog is good for something! It sure helps me keep in touch a little better. And I need all the help I can get in that department.

Thanks Joanna Lee!

Love ya!

~Amy Lynn

P.S. JoLee - Do you remember what we were talking about when this picture was taken? (insert evil girly laugh)

Tagged

I have been tagged by Lisa to answer these fun & silly questions:

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. soldier
2. preschool teacher
3. cashier @ Arby's
4. cashier @ P & C (grocery store)

Movies I have watched more than once
1. Snatch
2. Labyrinth
3. Grease
4. City of Angels

Four Places I have lived
1. Oswego, NY
2. Fayetteville, NC
3. Monterey, CA
4. Tuntenhausen, Germany

Four T.V. Shows that I watch
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Heroes
3. Medium
4. Private Practice

Four places I have been
1. France
2. Austria
3. Mexico
4. Canada

Four People who e-mail me (regularly)
1. Mandy
2. Lisa
3. Mom
4. Rebekah

Four favorite foods
1. Tastefully Simple beer bread
2. bacon cheeseburger sub w/everything (8th Street Subshop)
3. Mom's steak & eggs breakfasts
4. beef brisket (Old Time Pit BBQ)

Four Favorite Beverages
1. margarita
2. cranberry juice
3. lemonade
4. water

Four Places I would like to visit
1. the northwest
2. England
3. China
4. Australia

Four friends I am tagging to do this
1. Julie
2. Jennifer (she'll call it stupid, but she'll still do it)
3. Cherie
4. Amber
(I don't know a lot of bloggers so you girls are it!)

Things you may not know about me
1. I think my soldier & I are so perfectly happy that Oprah & Dr. Phil would be amazed
2. I want to be a contestant on Deal or No Deal
3. I love kickboxing, but haven't made the time to do it in almost 2 years
4. I am scared of water when I can't see the bottom (pools are ok, open water is not)

Things I am looking forward to in the coming month & Year
1. the end of this semester
2. our summer vacation
3. the hot summer weather
4. my parents' visit in March

Miss Priss

It was a long day at the beauty salon for my little princess!

More on Texas ...

This story was in the news this week here in Texas:

The thief who stole Williford's electric scooter the night of Jan. 4 apparently didn't read the sign. It may be tongue-in-cheek, but it's also true.Williford, who is 80 years old, a Texas native and barely five feet tall, has a 12-gauge shotgun she loads each night and keeps beside her bed. She doesn't intend to be robbed again. Other neighbors, she said, also have guns.The loss of her burgundy-red Rascal scooter was a serious blow. Williford has arthritis and COPD and used to take the scooter on regular trips up the bike path and to the Plaza. It got her outdoors and into the sun. Now she has to drive her gas-guzzling Lincoln to get there. But she wasn't the only victim of a thief or thieves who have targeted the Rancho de Sonoma mobile-home park since before Christmas.
On the night of Dec. 1, thieves broke into the clubhouse at the park and took a computer, a monitor, a TV and a VCR. Then, a few days after stealing Williford's scooter, someone carted off three nail guns and two electric saws from an unlocked tool shed beside the mobile home of 79-year-old James Martin. Martin, who is retired and does voluntary odd jobs for neighbors, said the tools were worth at least $400 and he can't afford to replace them."They knew what they was lookin' for," said Martin. "They come up from the creek and from Maxwell Farms."The proximity of Sonoma Creek and its trail system offers easy access to and from the tranquil park and makes it harder for police to patrol the area. Last week a third park resident reported someone tried to open her locked door while she was at home. Alarmed, she called police who responded quickly and searched the park but found no one.Rancho de Sonoma is not the only site in Sonoma suffering from crime. Early Friday morning a spate of auto and home burglaries occurred on the west side of town and centered around Olsen Park. At least eight autos and homes were burglarized and numerous items were stolen, including GPS units, cameras, stereo face plates and a small amount of cash.
Responding to two early morning calls from residents who heard noises, police found a string of autos with doors or trunks open. The thieves took a garage door opener from one vehicle, used it to open the garage door and rifled the car parked inside.Police estimate the value of all items taken may exceed $3,000.The pattern of auto burglaries matched earlier incidents from Oct. 29 and Dec. 1. In the October case, thieves found a garage door opener in an unlocked car, opened the garage where they found a Ford Expedition, entered the home, found a purse with keys to the Ford, and stole the Ford.
In the December case, thieves hit seven cars and homes in one night, in a pattern very similar to Friday's events. In response to these crimes, police urged citizens to lock their vehicles and residences and to keep all personal belongings, garage remotes and any other valuable items out of plain view.Maybe most affected by the recent burglaries are the elderly residents of Rancho de Sonoma. Williford was speaking for many when she said, "You feel like you've been violated. You wonder who's looking in your window. The majority of us here are old ladies just trying to make the next birthday."Old lady or not, Williford knows her way around guns. She said her late husband was "a hunter and a cattleman," and added, "I've never had a pistol. Pistols are for killing people. Rifles and shotguns are for putting food on the table." She deftly displays her shotgun, even though it's almost taller than she is.
Park manager Donna Oliver said she shares her residents' concerns and urged all of them to leave outside lights on to discourage prowlers. She said residents concerned about increased energy costs could get free cfl bulbs from her which use much less electricity."I've also encouraged people to cut the bushes down near windows and to close their blinds at night," she said.

Yup, only in Texas! Only in Texas!

Friday Funnies

It is very windy here for about half of the year. From mid-fall through mid-spring it is normal to have 20-30 mph winds. I was looking online at some silly Texas stuff when I found this joke that is oh-so-perfect for here in west Texas:

One day a New Yorker stopped in the little West Texas town of Rankin. When he got out of his car the wind was blowing so hard he had to lean into the wind as he walked to keep it from blowing him down. As he approached the street corner he spotted a local man standing there holding onto the lamp post. He asked the local, “Does the wind blow like this all the time?” “No sir,” was the reply, “Sometimes it changes and comes from the other direction.”

4,725

That's how many steps I took on campus today. Tuesdays and Thursdays are my longest days. I have four classes and one lab. Labs haven't started yet so next week I will be walking even further. I have to go across campus every time I change classes. I start in the science building, walk to the education building, then to my car to switch books, then to a different science building, then back to the education building, to my car to switch books, then back to the first science building. After each class I could get in my car and drive across campus, wait for a parking spot, hope for a parking spot, not get a parking spot, finally find a parking spot, then run to class hoping I am not too late. Instead I park in a convenient place so that I can switch books in the middle of the day and figure that at least I am getting some exercise out of the deal. 2,000 steps is approximately one mile so I walked over two miles in between classes today. That's not bad! Next week when labs start I will get about three miles. Too bad I am not counting those miles in my personal challege/New Year's Resolution. I'd get to 400 in no time!

Wordless Wednesday -- New Semester

Only in Texas!

Most kids get papers from their schools about Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Soccer, Baseball, etc. Well, here in Texas we get all of those papers and then some! We get Mutton Bustin. What is Mutton Bustin, you ask? Well, the flyer has a picture of a sheep on it and it says this:

Stock Show and Rodeo!

Dear Parents,

Once again it's Mutton Busting time. This event is scheduled for every performance of the Rodeo. We will select two children to be contestants by drawing names. Your child must be 5 to 8 years old and not weigh more than 50 lbs. Entry deadline ... etc, etc, etc

This is from wikipedia.com:

Mutton busting is an event held at rodeos similar to bull riding or bronc riding. In the event, a sheep will be caught and held still while a child is placed on top in a riding position. Once the child is seated atop the sheep, the people holding the sheep let go and the sheep then starts to run in an attempt to get the child off. Often small prizes or ribbons are given out to the child who can stay on the longest.
The children are on occasion injured by the sheep. Parents are often asked to sign waivers to protect the rodeo from legal action in that event. Anti-rodeo groups such as SHARK describe the practice as child abuse. Organizations such as the ASPCA also discourage the practice on the grounds that it does not promote kindness or respect of animals.

Yup, only in Texas folks. Only in Texas!

Danger! Danger! Danger!

Apparently it isn't bad enough that the boys got a bunch of dangerous gifts for Christmas. Now they want to go to the skate park and do dangerous things with their dangerous gifts. Frankly, they are not very skilled at using their skateboards or roller blades. The entire time we were there I was mentally mapping out the fastest way to the emergency room. You know, just in case.


Now they are out back with their friends using some of the other dangerous gifts they received for Christmas.

Harsh Winter Days

To pass the harsh winter days here in west Texas we have been keeping busy with some puzzles. We always wonder if we should glue them together once we are done, but then what do you do with them? My younger redneck boy has one that is glued together, but it is in the back of his closet because I can't find a frame that it will fit in. I guess it is fun to take them apart and save them for another cold, cold day. It's a good way to keep ourselves entertained when I won't go outside. That would be when it is below 50, by the way. Yes, I did grow up in upstate NY. Yes, I remember standing at the bus stop in blizzard-like conditions. Yes, I read Julie's post about using the snowblower... the post she wrote over a month ago. And yes, I am a big baby. I like it when it is 95 degrees and sunny. So .... puzzles. Yup, lots of puzzles! Just imagine how many puzzles we'll go through when we retire in NY. I think it is below 50 more than 1/2 of the year there!!

One of My Favorite Weekends

During the summer of 2006 the boys, my parents, and I went on a little vacation together. The "purpose" of the trip was to show my mom's bulldog Beanie in a dog show. My dad made the weekend memorable by insisting on staying in a cabin in the woods instead of a boring old hotel next door to the dog show. This picture is one that I took early one morning from our cabin as we were on our way to that day's dog show. It is one of my all time favorite photos.

My mom and Beanie during the dog show:

Horseback riding:

Tubing down the Hudson River:

The boys got to take the canoe out by themselves:

Howe's Cavern:

I hope that we can do something like this again during our next summertime visit. It was a lot of fun!

Adopt a Soldier Part II

My friend Rebekah is a gung-ho FRG (Family Readiness Group) participating Army wife. She is SO good at this stuff. She makes me look SO bad! When my soldier was at Fort Bragg I was supposed to be the FRG leader. I think I called the other wives one time and told them about a supply bird going to Afghanistan. Nowadays I am supposed to be really involved in this FRG stuff. But really, I figure it's best to leave the FRG stuff to the people who enjoy the FRG stuff! If they ask for my help with something, I'll help. They know they can call if there is a specific task that they need me for. Case in point ... my Adopt-A-Soldier Valentine's Box:

Not too bad, huh? Rebekah's husband knows my soldier so he sent a couple of ideas regarding things she wanted (I never would have guessed to buy lemon flavored tuna packets!), but for the most part I used my creativity and experience as a non-deployed, package-sending Army wife. Now, look at what Rebekah and her mother did:

Yup, I'll just leave the FRG to those gung-ho wives! They really know how to get it done. Good job Beck!

The Long Awaited Robot

He finally got his Lego Mindstorm NXT last week. If you click the link you'll see that it is $399 at amazon.com. He got a brand new one on ebay for $240. He saved for about 18 months to be able to buy it. First, we want to thank everyone who gave him money in the last 18 months. He has been saving diligently and putting just about everything he has in the bank. The only time he spent any money was during our vacation to NY last summer. He gets $5/week allowance, but only when he does all of his chores. So the money he was given as gifts made up about 80% of this purchase.

When I give money as a gift I really like to know how it is spent. It is not because I am nosy or controlling ... it is because it makes me feel good. It makes me feel connected to the person I gave the money to. I am happy when I know that person has bought something for themselves that they really wanted -- and that I helped to make it happen. So, with that in mind ... he gives thanks to his Dad, Grammy & Grampy, Uncle Shelley & Brandi, Grandma Washburn, and his friend Joey who gave him $15 on his birthday. Every single dollar helped him get this robot!!! And he loves it!!!

Wordless Wednesday -- Before & After

A couple of words on Wordless Wednesday ...

The color is really a dark cranberry -- the afternoon sun makes it look a little brighter than it really is.

My New Toy

Do you remember when you were 20 and you said something like, "When my (future) husband gives me appliances for gifts I am going to divorce him! Who would want something for the kitchen/house as a gift?!?" Well, I remember saying that. And it's been a long time since I said those words. This is what I got from my mother that I absolutely love:

Why do I love it? Because yesterday my youngest redneck boy spilled cranberry juice on the kitchen floor. And even though he wiped it up it looked like this about two hours later:

Now that I have my Hoover Floormate it looks like this:

THANKS MOM!!!!

Dr. Phil

We could all use a little more calmness in our lives. By following simple advice heard on the Dr. Phil show, you too can find inner peace. Dr Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started and have never finished." So, I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a bottle of Merlot, bottle of Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a bottle of Kalhua, a package of Oreos, the remainder of my old Prozac prescription, the rest of the cheesecake, some Doritos, and a box of chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel right now.

On a much more serious note (ha!) … this was on Yahoo! News today:


LOS ANGELES - Television's "Dr. Phil" McGraw has pulled the plug on plans for a one-hour show that was to examine Britney Spears' latest public meltdown.

In a statement posted Monday on his Web site, McGraw said the 26-year-old pop star's situation was "too intense" for him to go forward with the show. He didn't say whether he planned to reschedule.

Spears was hospitalized Thursday night after a child custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline resulted in an hours-long standoff with police. On Friday, a court commissioner gave sole physical and legal custody of 1-year-old Jayden James and 2-year-old Sean Preston to Federline.

McGraw said he met with Spears for an hour Saturday before she left the hospital.

If Britney is too messed up for Dr. Phil then she is truly f---ed!

Wordless Wednesday -- New Year's Resolution 2008

Adopt a Soldier

My friend Rebekah's husband has been in Iraq since July. He is in a large unit stationed out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The FRG (Family Readiness Group) for his unit is searching for families to send a nice little care package to the soldiers for Valentine's Day. If you think you might like to participate please email me ASAP. This is from the email Rebekah sent me:

What is a Valentine Shoe Box Surprise? A shoebox size box (or container) filled with treats and goodies that soldiers may enjoy on February 14 th. Items to send may include snacks, candy, magazines, toiletries, games, books, etc. In addition, we hope families can include a short personal note telling the soldier a little bit about themselves and provide an address where soldiers may send a card if they'd like.

How do we help? Email your company FRG leader and let them know how many soldiers you would like to adopt. You will then be given names of your soldiers and a mailing address. At that point the "adoption" is complete.

Address and Deadlines : To ensure their arrival, Valentine Shoebox Surprises should be mailed no later than January 14th. It is important to note the "VALENTINE BOX" after each soldiers name so that they may be held aside when they arrive in Iraq. This is so we can tally, on both ends, that each soldier that was adopted and receives a package.

There are over 400 paratroopers in the 1 BSTB. Please ask your friends and family to help out.

Thank You for Your Support!!