More phone pics

Due to circumstances beyond anyone's control we have not practiced the play the last couple of days. We surely need the practice and I bet it will run late tonight.

T finally went to the dr and got a shot and some meds. He's doing much better.

A has been working and going to school, trying to finish up the banners for the play and seeing P when she can, usually Sat and Sun afternoons/evenings.

J is doing well overall. He is doing his ESL proficiency tests and continues to earn gum with a good attitude. That child loves gum! Gum, tv and meat are his 3 fav things.

I've slept better the last 2 nights then I have in a while. I asked a friend to pray for me.

This is what greets me at the computer most days. A has been closing her bedroom door at night so Misty is very needy during the day.

I do love the sky pics.

These are from a couple days ago.

This was Monday afternoon on the way home from work.

Here is T in his knight costume, complete with sword.

I walked, visited and had lunch with a friend yesterday and this is one of her cats, I don't know if it's Tango or Samba.

More sky pics

Yesterday it was 74 degrees here in middle TN. Not our normal Feb. temps. At all. In fact this whole winter has been unusually mild.

This morning I was looking out the window and the sky was bright light behind the house and dark in front of the house. I tried to get the camera to work but went through 6 batteries before I decided none of them were charged and got my crappy cell phone and snapped this pic.

The light behind me was already fading but it's still a pretty sight.

Love these two pics.

Well, T finally succumbed to the germs and has a cold. Oh no, a man cold! He also officially agreed to be Sagramore in the play. He no longer has to do "The Jousts" but he now has a solo. Zoiks! He's nervous but I'm sure he will do fine. He called me and said, "I may have been sagging before but now I'm sagging some more." He's so funny. I've been calling him Saggy.

That's all for now.

Camelotted

My house has been "Camelotted". The whole house is consumed by it. The other day I randomly started singing a song and J sang the next line. He's not even in the play but he sang the next line. He has filled in for enough people enough times in practice that he knows it well.

There is a knight's belt/sword holder thing in the makings on my kitchen table. Doesn't everyone have a hammer, a block of wood, material and eyelets on their kitchen table?

And there is banner material all over my office/music room.

Partially completed banners on the treadmill. But that's okay because we don't have time to use the treadmill anyway.

See? Our whole lives have been "Camelotted".

The sky this morning

Here are a couple pics I took of the sky this morning on the way to school with J. The two hills in the forefront were in shadow and the one behind them was in brilliant light. So pretty.

And yes, it's down the driveway and you can see shadows of things on my dash. And yes, I have a crummy phone.

Camelot opens in  2 1/2 weeks. We are very busy but doing ok. Last night instead of saying "The spear has run him through" we all decided to say, "The spear done runt him through" in our best southern country redneck accents just to play a joke on the music director. She said, "Peeeooopppplllleeee!!" and someone had to explain it was a joke.

J seems to be getting over his latest cold.

A is working, going to school, working out and working on banners for the play.

T is going understudy the part of Sagramore.

I have a mountain of laundry to do today and also a bed to clean out underneath. We're hoping that will help us with some possible allergy type issues we are having. I'm washing all of our bedding today too. Yup, lots of laundry. Fibromyalgia seems to be getting to me again too. Wish I could figure that one out but it just is what it is.

The other night J said he wanted to watch "one of dose 'Frankie' shows". We finally figured out he wanted to watch Deep Space Nine 'cause he likes the Ferengis on it. Frankie/Ferengi. So close. We'll make a trekkie out of him yet.

Please look at this post. http://www.nogreaterjoymom.com/2012/02/seeing-is-believing.html Unicef would have us believe that children are better off in orphanages in their own countries and that adoption should rarely happen. Look at those children. How is not knowing the love of a family better? Why is it better to remain in an orphanage in their own country? Even J, without special physical needs, was considered special needs in the world of adoption because of his age. He was 6, about to turn 7 when he entered the O. He spent 5 years there while we spent 4 of those years working through a broken system to bring him home. Haitian adoptions are about to get more difficult again, as if they weren't hard enough already. Please pray. Please advocate for the 147,000,000 orphans in the world. What can you do?

"I wanna talk about me, wanna talk about I...."

I saw this post http://dreamingbigdreams.net/2012/02/16/what-is-your-favorite-color-blah-blah-blah/ and thought it looked like fun so I'm copying Jamie.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:25 is when the alarm went off. But we got up about 6:40.

2. How do you like your steak? Medium

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema: Umm. I'm not even sure. I bet it was something at the drive-in though.

4. What is your favorite TV show? We don't watch much tv. We watch older shows on netflix. Right now we are watching Home Improvement, Star Trek Deep Space 9 and The Cosby Show (J says, "I am just like 'Feo' only I have white people!"). I like to watch American Idol and we all still love to watch AFV.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Somewhere warm, preferably in the US.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Cascadian Farms Dark Chocolate Almond Granola with Kashi Go Lean on it.

7. What is your favorite food? Dark chocolate. Is that food? Maybe italian then.

8. Foods you dislike? Greasy or too spicy. I don't want to sweat when I eat something.

9. Favorite place to eat? Olive Garden

10. Favorite dressing? Poppyseed but I only recently found this out.

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? A Dodge minivan, Vanna Blue, that we bought from these people http://roomforatleastonemore.wordpress.com/ who just got home with their 6th child, 4th special needs, from China.

12. What are your favorite clothes? Anything comfy.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? Australia

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? It used to be 1/2 empty but for the most part now it's 1/2 full. There are those days though....

15. Where would you want to retire? In a camper/RV driving all over this country and bugging my kids where ever they happen to end up.

16. Favorite time of day? Having a chance to sit down at the end of the day, before bed.

17. Where were you born? Racine, WI

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Whatever my kids are playing and an occasional football game.

19. What is your favorite fragrance? I loved "Gardenia" from Bath and Body Works. They don't have it anymore and that makes me sad.

20. What is your favorite face cream? Oil of Olay because I like to say it. Add a funny accent and say it out loud. You will get what I mean, or you will "smell what I'm steppin' in" as P likes to say.

21. Favorite baby/kids products? It's been so long! Probably disposable diapers. Wet wipes.

22. People watcher? Oh yeah!

23. Are you a morning or night person? Hmmm. Neither? Maybe I'm a middle of the day person.

24. Do you have any pets? 2 dogs, 2 cats and 2 horses.

25. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? Not really. Can't think of anything. Come see us in Camelot though.

26. What did you want to be when you were little? Wife, mom, singer.

27. What is your favorite memory? Funny things that happened.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Cats.

29. Are you married? Yes, almost 25 years.

30. Always wear your seat belt? Yup.

31. Been in a car accident? Yes.

32. Any pet peeves? Bickering. The more stupid the subject the more I hate it.

33. Favorite pizza toppings? Ham and pineapple.

34. Favorite flower? Rose

35. Favorite ice cream? Chocolate, no mint.

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chik-fil-a.

37. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? None.

38. From whom did you get your last email? I don't know. I delete them as soon as I can.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Waaaaalllllmarts. If they don't have it, you don't need it. Bahahaha!! Actually, probably Kohl's. I can always find something there.

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Not really. I have trouble being spontaneous. And if you plan to be spontaneous it's not really spontaneous.

41. Like your job? Yes.

42. Broccoli? Yes.

43. What was your favorite vacation? Bahamas. Or Edisto Island, SC.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? The whole family for A's birthday.

45. What are you listening to right now? The dryer is running. I've listened to a lot of "Camelot" music lately. "The Jousts" and "The Lusty Month of May" keep getting stuck "to" my head. T has taken to calling it "The Musty Lump of Hay" and J keeps singing, "It's May, it's May, the lusty lustomay."

46. What is your favorite color? Purple.

47. How many tattoos do you have? None.

48. Coffee drinker? Nope.

So, that's it. Did anything surprise you or do you know me pretty well? Let me know if you do something similar on your blog.

phone pics and updates

Well, we have been busy as always. I had diagnostic mammogram number 3 yesterday and I'm happy to say that all was well. Nothing new to worry about and I can go back to once a year screenings instead of every 6 months diagnostic. That's good news. I was going to go to my GP this morning too because of the 2 1/2 weeks of sore throat. I cancelled it because my throat feels a bit better and I'm too cheap to waste the money and I don't want to take any unnecessary meds. Might be my fibro?

We have been eating, sleeping and breathing "Camelot" when we're not at work. I got T's knight costume done finally. What do you think? And yes, he's wearing not tights but long underwear under his tunic.

And this is my lady in waiting costume. They (whoever "they" is) are also making a "May dress" for me for "The Lusty Month of May" (or as T refers to it "The Musty Lump of Hay") dance. Oh, J has been going with us to most practices and the other night on the way home he was singing "Guenevere" only he was saying "Gueneveal". Guenevere/Gueneveal. So close.

I snapped this the other morning for R after dropping J off at school. Bridget!

We went to a hibachi grill for A's birthday the other day. They threw rice balls at us that we were supposed to try to catch in our mouths. Ha! Mine hit my upper lip and exploded all over me and T. J actually caught a bit of his. A's whipped by her face so fast that I'm glad it didn't hit her. Too funny. Then we came home and had cake and ice cream. Sorry I don't have a better pic.

Then we played wii dance. This is my mom and aunt playing. I think it's too cute!

Diesel loves to play in the bathroom sink. He likes the bathtub too. Here he is just laying in the sink.

With his little mouth that doesn't close completely.

I found Misty on the couch this morning.

And a little while later. That's her, don't bother me look.

And that's what's going on in our neck of the woods.

Busy, birthdays, Camelot

We have been so busy with work, play and church.

We are celebrating A's birthday this weekend. J has been "filling in" at play practice for people who aren't there. Maybe we'll get him interested in theater yet. He wants to play baseball if there are enough kids to make multiple teams. At this point there are not.

A is doing well and spends her time at school, at the gym or working. She sees P when she can. He's going to school and working nearly full time too so they don't have much down time.

I'm still struggling with the sore throat/cold thing. Tomorrow will be 2 weeks of sore throat other than the 4-5 days when my head was stopped up. I gargled with warm salt water today. Hopefully that will help.

T got to help block the last fight scene in the play and he was excited about that. He's been enjoying it even though it takes up a lot of time.

Well, I need to finish up a tunic, clean the house and make a cake. Better get at it.

Too cute

And, because this is too cute not to share. Even though I feel gross. A friend took this pic yesterday where I work of me and Billie Jean. She is a 1yo shihpom (shihtzu and toy pomeranian mix) who weighs 2 1/2 pounds. She came into the store in her mom's purse and was too cute to not take a pic of. Don't you love the way her hair poofs out around her face?

Ugh!

Three out of four of us are sick. T is the only one who hasn't succumbed. Sigh...J started it. Of course. He's so germ "unaware". He sneezed in the silverware drawer not long after he came home and didn't think a thing of it. I got it next and now A too. I guess it's just a cold, sore throat type thing. Apparently R and JT had it too.

I managed to go to the play practice last night. The directors daughter is very sick and she felt like she was coming down with it too.

So, if you know us IRL, make a wide path around us and don't breath our air.

Updating

Wow, it's been a whole week since I posted. I had no idea. Let's see, I'll do an oldest to youngest update.

T went to his first deacon's meeting, or "dickens meeting" as J calls it, last night. First one for this time around anyway. He had rotated off for a couple of years. He's been busy at work but still enjoys it for the most part. And he's doing the play Camelot with me. We've spent a lot of time rehearsing and learning songs and even a dance for that. And we get to chase each other onstage at one point. I'm working on his "Mack the Knight" costume. Please pray for willpower for T to eat right and get fit.

I am busy with the play, work, praise team, keeping house and getting costumes made for T and I. I have a mild sore throat and I sound kind of croaky this morning. I'm trying not to talk much to save my voice for tomorrow night's practice. Please pray for me for physical strength and healing.

A is quite busy with work and school plus she likes to work out as often as she can. She only sees P on the weekends as he works all day and then goes to school in the evenings 5 days a week. She had her tonsilectomy post-op visit yesterday and all is well. She had about 8 miserable days and then recovered quickly. She's into a no/low carb diet for this week and brought a bunch of food home and labeled it with her name. Poor J is never sure what he can eat because he doesn't want to eat her food and make her mad. I think it's funny. I played wii dance with her last night and beat her. I was thrilled. She is a much better dancer than I could ever hope to be so it's quite funny that I won. Weird, but funny. Please pray for A to do well in school and to seek God's plan for her.

J is doing well with school and with his attitude. He's been complaining of stomach aches a lot and I haven't figured out what that's about and he has a cold. But this is only his 2nd or 3rd one since this school year started. Huge improvement over the last two school years when he had a cold every month or so. He still wants someone to sit right by him and "help" with his schoolwork. He can do it himself but he still needs lots of directing. He's reading so much better all of a sudden and that helps a lot. He's been going to the play practices with us and behaving well. He wants to help build the set when it's time too. Pray for his continued good attitude and adjustment and that he will have the desire to learn and retain information. And for his stomach aches.

The animals are all fine. Misty still likes to make Diesel's life miserable. The horses are still fat and so are the dogs. The dogs are getting better though now that I've made it clear to the kids how much food they should be giving them. And the bag lasts a lot longer too. The horses will look their best in March.

I got word of the death of an old friend yesterday. So sad. It was an apparent overdose but I don't know anything besides that. satan is a liar and a jerk. Don't believe his lies!

And something lighter to end up on. J's skin is dry and he has eczema but he hates to put lotion on. I used to do it but he's 14 for crying out loud, he can put his own lotion on. But he won't unless he's wearing shorts. I always tell him to put lotion on and his usual answer to everything is "why?" and then I tell him, "Because you're a little dried up chip." Yesterday I told him that I put lotion on every day and he asked, "Why?" So I said, "Because if I didn't I'd be a little dried up chip. Or a big fat dried up chip." He said, "You're not fat." And I answered, "Well I'm not skinny." Without missing a beat he said, "You are medium." So there you have it folks, I'm not fat, I'm medium.