My Sister is a Smart Aleck

So, I posted a comment on Jen's blog. I may have said something about coming back to my blog in the evening to see how my kid rocks. I should have known she would come back to see my fantabulous post. She was rewarded with nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Not because my girl isn't amazing. Not so. She is pretty stellar. She got all A's ... not bad for an almost high schooler (crossing fingers for a college scholarship). She is funny (I asked her who was funnier, me or Dean ... I will admit to being a bit miffed she said Dean). She is kind. She is thoughtful. She is amazing ... and, she is mine. And, I am blessed.

But, I didn't post to say any of that. I really posted to say my sister is a smart aleck for asking about the post. Which wasn't there. I told her I needed to work a 4 day week. Don't think it will happen any time soon. Brother.

So I Asked Carly What She Wanted for Her Birthday

And, I should have known better. Really.

Here's how it went down. First of all Jen was on the cell phone on the way home from swim lessons. Carly was giving her list through the speaker phone. Um, a few of her "must haves" were vetoed by the "powers that be". Mainly Jen and me.

Here is her list ... in the exact order she gave it to me.

1. phone
2. $100
3. a cousin

So, I hope you enjoy the $100, Carly. Uncle Dean will be so happy to send it to you!

The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

I had great plans for all I hoped to accomplish this weekend. I was well on my way there ... and then I started to feel crummy. And, all that I had planned to do fell by the wayside.

It must be said that we have had several cases of H1N1 at the school where I teach. Several. And, one of the sweet things was diagnosed on Tuesday afternoon ... a mere 3 hours after I was hugging and rubbing all over her face because she told me she didn't feel well. And, she's not even in my class this year. Lesson learned. Hug no one. Which is impossible ... I teach Kindergarten people!

And, now it must now be said. I do not fear Swine Flu. Not a bit. I am sort of resigned to the fact that I will probably get it. There is not enough hand sanitizer in the state of Texas to prevent it.

And, so, on Saturday afternoon when I started to feel crummy I figured it was on it's way. But, still no sign of Pig Flu. My low-grade fever is gone. I am still flu-free ... for now.

Which leads me back to the point of this post. I did have great plans this weekend to document the fun of our weekend. And then the low-grade fever ended the fun of the weekend. So, instead of fun, you got this rambling mess.

Who knows what I will post when I actually GET Swine Flu?!

Check and Double Check

Conferences finished. Check. Do a dance because conferences are finished. Check. Do ANOTHER dance because conferences are finished because you are so happy. Double Check.

Can you guess what I finished today? CONFERENCES. Joy. Joy. Joy.

(I guess I should give a disclaimer here. First, all (ALL!) of my conferences were easy. The sixteen children I have been given to love are precious with a capital P. And, guess where they get it from? Their parents. We are in week 9 ... and I am already grieving week 36. Oh, how I love them!)

Now, what's on the agenda? Football game tomorrow night (we all know how much Dean and I love those!), early (EARLY) play practice on Saturday, making of some kind of yummy snacks for Torrey's Sunday School group (I am thinking of these ... and, I want to try to make my own pumpkin puree just to see if I can tell a difference ... I am sure right now I am suffering from conference completion overload!), Church, and somewhere in the middle of all that I have got to complete the lesson plans that have gotten pushed to the side because of conferences.

And, this moment? I am off to carve a pumpkin to share with my sweet friends in school tomorrow ... until tomorrow!

Beautiful Backyard ... Finally!

So, our backyard has been in a sad shape for quite awhile. It is big, but bare. Every time we would look out, we would cringe ... oh yes. It was that sad. This is where we began. Dean took this picture in June of 2006 while Torrey and I were still in Florida and we were waiting for the house to be finished. We did not cringe about our backyard then. Know why? We actually had trees in it. Trees with leaves on them. And, then winter came ... and our beautiful trees gave up and died.

And, we lived in denial for almost a year. I would see what I thought was a leaf and believe they were making a comeback. No. They did not. Right before Ike came to town, we had 3 trees cut down from our backyard.

And, the cringing began.
But, look what came yesterday! FOUR beautiful, lovely, gorgeous Live Oak trees. They aren't nearly as tall as the ones we had taken out ... but, in a few years they will be amazing!
Our first landscaper talked us into putting this funky bush in our front yard our first year in the house. Oh, he saw us coming. It soon took over the front area. Dean has hacked it back on more than one occasion ... only to have it come back more lush than ever.

We decided that it would be a good idea to move it to the back. And, we really decided to move it to the back corner when Comcast (who is not "comtastic" by the way!) decided to use the easement that runs on the back 5 feet of our property to put an ugly box in that corner. So, now all you see is lovely bush and not ugly box. And, as a bonus, it will be hard for them to come and work on the box. (Townsend's 1 Comcast 0)
And, finally the view from the porch today. Maybe someday there will be a pool in the front part of the yard ... who knows?

One of Those Weeks

It is one of THOSE weeks. You know the kind ... where you have play practice until 6:00 three nights out of five. Where you have to have 16 parent teacher conferences. Where you have to go to a football game you really don't want to go to. And, where you haven't been to the grocery store in quite awhile. And, where your family doesn't think you slapping string cheese on the table amounts to a meal.

Yup, one of those weeks.

And, in the midst of it, I am struggling a bit. Struggling with letting go of something that is bothering me. Struggling to let go of something that is causing me to lose sight of what is important. Struggling to let go of something that really has it's hold on me. Just plain struggling.

And, the truth of it ... I know I need to let it go. And, I am really trying to be the bigger person. But, man, is it hard.

That is where your flesh wants to take over when you should let Christ have the reins.

And, I want Him to have the reins. I want Him to be in control. I want to know that He is present even in my disappointments.

And that is where I am ... trying to turn one of those weeks into one of His weeks.

It Brought Me Great Joy

We are big fans of "The Office" in our house. It must be said that we have watched the show since it first premiered. When no one else was watching. We are cutting edge like that. And, a bit obsessed with office products.

In the beginning we took great pleasure locating Staples products and giggled and giggled when those products became "taples" products. Oh, and Dwight's job at Staples ... the best episode ever. However, when Dwight quit and Staples sent out an inter-office memo saying that he would not be hired again ... EVER!? Priceless.

I often tease Dean that he IS the Michael Scott of Staples. Not so. But, it does make me giggle.

Finally, after years of waiting, Jim and Pam got married last night. They actually got married. And, even better ... something similar to this was in their wedding. Against their will. But, not against Michael's!

I laughed until I cried ... and, then I realized I was really crying because Jim and Pam got married. Crazy? Not to me!