Just call me airhead

I forgot all about the trip to the zoo last week until I read my SIL's blog. Duh!!!
I thought it would be fun to spend the day at the zoo before picking up Hayley from the airport after her big trip to France.

It was a wonderful day. The girls loved seeing all the animals and the best part of the day were feeding the giraffe and watching the cutest polor bear swim above us as we watched from a glass tube under the water. It was amazing. I can't wait to go again.

WERE BACK!!!!

From a long due vacation. Hayley was in France for 10 days and that was kind of stressful for me with her being so very far away. But she is home now with lots of pictures (see previous post for a few photos) and stories to tell. She had a AWESOME time. Then we wisked her off to the beach for 4 days to recover from jet lag and family bonding time. The weather was beautiful and we had a very relaxing time playing on the beach. Now it is back to reality with tons of laundry (there is sand and bonfire smell in everything) and cleaning the house. I can't wait until we go again. I didn't want to come home, I could get use to flying kites on the beach and lounging in a beach chair with a good book all summer long. Better get my butt moving or I won't get a thing done. TaTa.

Paris with bffl

These are just a few pictures of Hayley's trip to France. Enjoy and I hope tomorrow I will have more of her trip and then our family trip to the lake.

"SWEET 16"

Yeap, Hayley turns "16" today. So if you are driving any where near here, watch out.

I almost forgot it is also Friday the 13th. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

We just paid off our house today. It is such a great feeling.

Just sharing a photo from the 4th

I just wanted to share a picture of Maggi that I took on the 4th. I love that I was able to capture the circle of sparks from her sparler. I wish that she was more in focus. Well, that will give me something to work on. HAHA.

Oh and I almost forgot. Hayley's passport finally arrived. I am so relieved to have it in my hot little hands.

Happy Anniversary to ME!!!

Today is my or I should say our "21st" Anniversay. And I am such a dork that I forgot all about it until about noon today. Well I figure that after this many years I am forgiven. He only remembers about once every 5 years so we are even. HAHA. This is a photo that I took of him yesterday at the fireworks. It
Here are 2 photos of the 424 that I took of the fire works last night. They are not my best but I was too lazy to go thru all of them to post. So maybe more will show up in a different post. Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th.

Just a LITTLE stress

This week has been one mess after another. Well I shouldn't say mess, I have hit one brick wall after another. I have been fighting with the Dept. of State for almost 2 weeks. One the phone for at least a hour almost everyday trying to figure out when Hayleys passport is. I can not seem to get a solid answer on what stage of the process that it is in, where it is at, when it will be completed and sent. She leaves in 2 weeks and it is still not here yet. I finally called our Congressman on Monday and I hope they can figure it out. It better get here soon, because if Hayley misses her trip of a life time someone is going to pay and it is not going to be me. (See there is a little stress, because I am normally not that kind of person).

I have been working on our vacation also. It has been kind of hard to find a date that we can all make it because the girls have so much going on this summer and Scott is really busy at work. I thought we finally found 2 different weeks that we could do it, I found a house to rent (we stayed there a couple of years ago, and LOVED it). I was going to call yesterday afternoon to finalize it when my dh called. He has been thinking and with the him having so much going on at work he doesn't feel that he should take the time off. UGH!!! I was almost in tear, I need a vacation and was really looking forward to it. I still might take the girls, got to think on that.

The other thing is, is we had our yard landscaped the end of May. I absolutely love what they did. Will post pictures one of these days. The thing is is we paid alot, I mean alot of money to have them do everything. Brick porch, brick sidewalk, new driveway, bushes, trees, flowers, etc. And new grass, that is the problem. All that is growing is WEEDS. I mean prickly weeds, water grasses, ground covers. I am upset because I was expecting grass. So we have been talking and had the grass guy from the landscrape company come over. He was not a happy camper, because he has been trying to get the company to get different mixture of grass but they are trying to save money so they go with this crap. So the next day we get a call that the owner what to come over to get the rest of the money. What the heck, don't they send out bills or whatever. I said fine come on over. He came over I handed him the check, he looked at it and said that that is not what we owe. Correct, and you will not get the remainder until we get grass, not weeds. He was pissed but heck so am I. I have been taking pictures of the yard almost everyday. The neighbors can't believe it either.

OK I am done venting, I guess sometimes you just have say what is on your mind and go on. So now that I have unloaded, I need to go pack, I am going scrapping tonight. YAHOO!!!

Have a AWESOME weekend!!!

I've been tagged - Dang now what do I do?

I guess the only thing I can do is - go with it. HAHA!!! Here goes.

My roommate and I once: I never had a room mate so I can not answer that one. Whew!

Never in my life: I am going to have to come back to this one, I just can't think of anything.

High School: was a trip.

When I'm nervous: I clean, that is why my house is dirty. Looks like I will have to get nervous (or mad).

My hair: is very very short. I have not used a blow dryer or brush on it in years.

When I was 5: I learned how to ride a bike and rode a horse in the rocky mountains.

When I turn my head left: I see my dining room table that has my dd painting stuff all over it.

I should be: cleaning out my closest that I said I was going to do when school was out. I think I might wait until Sept. just before school starts.

By this time next year: I might have my closet cleaned out.

My favorite aunt: is my Aunt Marge, she is just one cool lady that is a retired school libraian and travels the world with her husband and they have a gorgeous house on Lake Michigan.

I have a hard time understanding: My camera and how to take awesome photos.

You know I like you if: if I laugh. I love to laugh.

My ideal breakfast is: COFFEE and cheerios or toast. If I go out to eat then it would be french toast.

If you visit my home town: you would ask why did we move back. Well it has to do with our families are both her and it is a awesome family town with wonderful schools.

If you spent the night at my house: you probable wouldn't do it again. Just kidding, we don't have doors on the bedrooms upstairs so you don't have much privicy.

My favorite blond(s): My DD's

My favorite brunette: My niece Emily

The animal that I would like to see flying with birds: Hmmmm maybe donkeys

I shouldn't have been: fallen last fall, my hip still hurts at times.

Last night: I started a new book by Janet Evanovich and read to late.

A better name for me would be: James, that is what alot of people call me anyways.

I have been told that I look like: a midget (I know that is not the term these days, I just can't think of it right now), I am only 5'2".

If I could have any car, it would be: Free, I hate car payment. And I would love a convertible if anyone wants to give me a car.

OK I guess it is my turn to tag some others.

Vicki C.
Lana
Rebekah

Have fun Girls!!

Tom Jones - It's Not Unusual (Live)

Tom Jones - She's a Lady

My kind of Music

Do you like my photo?

I took this photo the other day at our local gardens. I wish it was my garden but that would mean that I would have to have a flower garden and that would mean more work. So we just enjoy Dow Gardens and pretend it is my yard. LOL. Well anyways I took this picture and just love it (can you tell because I also used it for my header). I think I am going to have it enlarged and use it in my house. Thanks to [url=www.vickichrisman.blogspot.com]Vicki C.[url] and her idea of using pant hangers to hang photos or LO's. I LOVE that idea. So I am going to have to go shopping for cute pant hangers. Thank you Vicki, I love ya.

WOW another post!!!

Well it offically SUMMER. Thank goodness. My girls are already bored. Can you believe it?

The photos above were taken at our local Center for the Arts yesterday. They are a group from Australia that are perched on long flexible poles that sway. They kind of dance to music. It is very cool.

I have been trying to get the house in order which I don't think will ever be there. It

is 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. Oh well, I least I am trying.

The landscaping is done and I LOVE it, absolutely love it. I am going to have to look up some before pictures and take some after and post. The only bad thing is, is that when they reseeded the yard they used crappy and I mean crappy seed. We have more weeds than grass, so everyday for hours I am out in the yard pulling gigantic weeds. We have been talking to the landscapers and they can not see what we are talking about. So at least I took before pics of the weeds. I am ready to fight. And if you are wondering why I am pulling them. I just want a pretty green lawn and it looked so awful compared to the rest of the stuff that they did I had too. At least for my own sake. Enough of that.

I hope you all are enjoying your summer.

Summer is Finally here!!!

Yeap, I can finally take a break. School was out last Wednesday but Hayley had her "Sweet 16" party on Friday. Now that it is all over I can finally think about summer.

I was worried about her party because the day before the party I found out that over 200 teenagers had been invited. Hayley told me that she invited about 30 kids but her friend (who she was having a combined party with) invited over 170 people. The hall only held about 150. Ugh!!! But after it was done and over and a GREAT success only about 100 showed up.

Yesterday I did alot of resting and today I have been out edging and weeding. I am going to go back out and cut down and little pine tree. I also set up the pool, it feels like a ice cube right now but give it a day or two (or eight) and it will warm right up.

The pictures above are of the party. Sorry they are not greatest pics, I was having a hard time with the lighting. Some day I will learn how to use my camera.

DANCE

OK so yesterday I was little bored and my mojo is no where to be found. But check out what I did. I laugh my butt off everytime I watch it. If you push on the elevator buttons it changes it a little. Enjoy!!!

http://www.dancesisterdance.com/myvid/index.php?v=7e5dc195f5afa

BUSY busy and more busy!!!

I asked Maggi to let me take her picture a couple of weeks ago. She is such a smarty pants. All she would do was give me goofy faces. Maybe she is trying to tell me "mom would you please put that camera away". NOPE!!!

Well let me say that I don't even know what direction to go these days. I just can't seem to catch up on anything. My house looks like a pig sty. I need to get it organized. I am ready to do spring cleaning but I can't even get the everyday stuff done to start in on all that. Today I woke up and I was going to vacuum, dust, get the laundry started, clean the toliets and kitchen. Well I got the kitchen cleaned up, and started to clean my scrap area when Hayley came out of her bed room and asked me to help her. I had no idea that she had taken almost everything out of her room and was rearranging it all. She needed help getting the TV off her armoir. We got it down but not without some injuries. I had a bruised wrist and she has a black eye. Warning, don't ask the two of us to help with heavy labor, we start laughing and loose all muscle control. It is not a pretty sight. Lets say, the TV is not going back up on top unless I can get DH to do it.

I got started on altering Hayley's prom dress, I hope I get it done because Prom is next Saturday. Put that back on my list of to do's this weekend. Ugh!!!

We were going to go to my nephews house this weekend also but I cancelled because I had too many things that needed to get done. My uncle Gene died last week and the funeral was last Saturday. So that just gave me Sunday to get my normal weekend chores done. Well I didn't get a thing done other than laundry. That is why I am so far behind. My mom called today and my uncle Jack died this morning. He was in AR at the time so everyone is thinking that there will be a memorial service later. WOW that is 2 uncles within a week. Uncle Jack is my dad's brother and uncle Gene is his brother in law so I am happy that they are at peace now and that they are all having a party together. I can hear them now having the time of their life. That is what I am happy for. They are reuniting.

I don't know what next year is going to bring. Our school district is in big touble money wise and many teacher have been given there pink slips. Us Paras will find out the end of May if we are going to be hitting the unemployment line or not. I am way down on the list so I know that I will be one of the first to go. Actually I am good with that. I have had this nagging ache all year because everytime a field trip comes up for Maggi's class she wants me to go with them but I can't because I am working. So if I am not working then next year I can volunteer in her class more like I did with Hayley. And maybe I will have time to clean my house.

Last but not least, sorry for the long and boring post. Maybe if I would up date more often it wouldn't be so long. That is another thing I can do if I don't have a job next year.

Peace Out!

Beautiful Day!!!

This being our last day of freedom before heading back to work and school having the whole week off for spring break we decided that we had to spend the day having fun. So we went to our local gardens to see the butterfly house. Here are a few pictures that I took.

Road Trip!!!

Well with this week being Spring Break and having no plans we decided to take a road trip up north to see our nephew. We had a great time and we will be going back. He moved into his over a year ago and you would think that he had just moved in. A couch and beds, the walls are half painted (he decided that he doesn't like to paint) and no pictures on the walls. So we are going back to finish painting his walls and give a move lived in feel. Here a picture that we took of the girls. When we left our house it was in the upper 60's and going to be in the 70's, but as you head north the temp drops and the snow if still on the ground in spots. Check out Hayley in her shorts. "Teens", we tryed to tell her that it is going to be cold but she just wouldn't listen.

Michigan in the Spring

es this is what it is like. WET!!! The weather has it's up's and down's. Take this day (early March, I don't remember the exact date), the snow has finally melted and it is in the 70's. Maggi came home from school to find this puddle in the back yard. The next thing I knew, she was running throught it. What is a mother to do? Let her go and have fun because I knew that with it being March, it wasn't going to last. She had a ball and came in wet with the biggest smile on her face.

Where's my Creativie Juices?

Yesterday I went to a crop for the whole day. Yes, the whole day. 9 to 9. I couldn't find my mojo. I did 3 LO's but they were just blah. I couldn't find my creative side of me. I am not going to complain because I was out of the house with no kids and that was wonderful but I was hoping to be able to do some LO's that I really liked. No way was that going to happen. Oh well maybe next time. I was also hoping that when I got home the laundry fairy would have been working but oh no. All the dirty clothes were still in the laundry shoot. So it looks like I will be busy today trying to get it all done before going back to work tomorrow. I would ask my dh but he got called into work. Why oh why do I feel like a maid lately? I think with that said, I will get the washing going and then go and see if I can go buy myself some new shoes. That will help.