I can't believe they finally did it!

Well things keep getting better and better!


Guess who purchased a home less than 3 miles from me?


Ganny and Grandpa (my mom and dad)!


They'll keep their home in Oregon and go back and forth as they please (isn't retirement awesome?)

Here's my mom on the phone with the Realtor getting the news that their offer was accepted!

Even my dad was excited to find such a great house!

So this is it!

This house was in the 2007 Parade of Homes. And it won tons of awards. It is brand new and It is soooooo coool! There is not an upgrade or amenity that was missed.

My parents purchased it furnished... from couches, bedding, towels, etc. all the way down to the silverware in the drawers. My dad is completely thrilled because the house furnishing include a huge wall mounted flat screen plasma TV (what man wouldn't be thrilled with that?)

Plus, since it's furnished, my parents can just move right in. They'll take possession in 2 weeks... just the perfect timing since Suzi (my sister) is due to have her baby right around then.

Congratulations mom and dad... we can hardly wait to have Thanksgiving and Christmas at the new house!

I've quit... So Now what?

So you now know that I quit my job...

and you may be wondering what I'm going to do.

Well,

I'm going to be a teacher!

(a pleasantly plump teacher... unfortunately my figure is not nearly as good as the teacher shown below)

More specifically... A Middle School Teacher!

I have chosen to teach Special Education... a classroom where I can use my social work background and use my knowledge of adaptive technology, community resources, individualized care (education) plans, family mediation skills, etc.

I'll be able to use my patience, compassion, intelligence, etc. to further the lives of others.

Since Bryant is starting school this year... this job will allow me to be off when he's out of school!

Zac (also a teacher), Bryant and I will be on the same schedule.

This job will be WAY LESS STRESS.

I will have summers off to be with my "guys."

I am super excited.

PS: If you ask anyone who knew me growing up, they would tell you that I always wanted to play school when I was little. Of course, I was ALWAYS the teacher. I've always been bossy and in-charge. I think I'll be a natural at this!

What a feeling... An EMOTIONAL Day!

This has been an EXTREMELY emotional day.

I woke up feeling like I would almost rather put a gun to my head than come to work...

I knew I had to face my fears... but I was nervous....

Actually, I spent my first hour at work feeling like I just wanted to throw up...

Finally I got my nerve up... and I cried lots of tears...

It was a strange combination of feeling sad...

and yet feeling happy...

You see, today I changed my future.

I quit my job as a social worker.

I've been at this job 14 years!

It's the ONLY job I've ever had.

I have one pissed off boss...

I'm asking for your thoughts and prayers... I think I've made the right decision for myself and my family

More details on my future in my next post.

What happened to the Lemons?

What is summer without a lemonade stand?

I remember having a lemonade stand when I was a little girl. Actually I think it was more likely to have been a Koolaid stand... usually a little package I pilfered from the kitchen. Problem was that I didn't understand that Koolaid needed sugar... so the Koolaid was a bit tart for my cumstomer's taste (but that's another story).

The other day I came home from work to find Karsyn, Cooper and Bryant sitting in the driveway.

Upon closer inspection I saw....

What the heck? Water? What happened to selling Lemonade?

...and $1.00 a cup? Did the recession drive up the cost of water?

Irregardless the kids couldn't have been more happy with themselves.

I asked if they'd had any customers. The had not (gee...do you think... who'd pay $1.00 for a glass of water!).

So, I gave them a lesson in lemonade stand sales...

1. Get the word out- Yell at cars. Make awesome signs. Dress up in costumes to get attention.

2. Location Location Location- I told them they had done a good job. The driveway was a good place for a Lemonade Stand.

3. Curb Appeal- How about getting a table and not serving water off a lawn chair? I also told Bryant that sitting on top of the garbage probably didn't look that great.

4. The Right Price- $1.00 for water is a little steep. I told them they should have stayed with $.25 a glass.

5. Sell Something Yummy- Don't just serve water. Serve Koolaid, Lemonade or Ice Tea.


They liked my ideas and decided they're going to implement them next time.

But back to our Water Stand Story...

They did have one poor sap customer who gave in purchased water.

Yes, this mamma purchased $6.00 worth of water

(as an added bonus, I was peeing like a racehorse all night)...

The kids thought they were in $$$$$ heaven.

The sniffed their money like it was the best perfume in world.

Lemonade stands are a ton of fun in the hot summer months. It was fun to see the kids enjoy their water stand... plus they got a lesson in business/ economics.

I encourage everyone to stop at the next stand you see and "make a kids day" by purchasing a cup of water, koolaid without sugar or maybe even some decent lemonade!

Football Camp for Bryant and Zac

Saturday... 7:30 a.m.

Football Camp

Lots and Lots of Kids from all over the Treasure Valley

The kids were then divided up by the High Schools they would attend.

This is a picture of Bryant's peers.

In 7 years they will all play football together at High School!

Bryant was in his glory.

This kid of mine LOVES football.

He learned lots.

He learned Quarter Back moves...

Running Back plays...

and all the necessary football stances.

I was a little worried because he's only 5.

You had to be at least 7 years old to sign up for camp...

But because we have an "in" with Zac being a High School coach, Bryant got to attend.

I didn't need to worry. He could deffinitely hold his own against the bigger kids.

You can't even tell he's 2 years younger than the others...

And speaking of Zac...

He was one of the coaches at Football Camp!

Here he is coaching a group of kids...

(If I was a good wife I would know what he was teaching... but I haven't got a clue!)

It was a long hot day of football for players & coaches (and parents!).

Bryant was thirsty and dirty!

Do I even need to tell you that Bryant has asleep before we even pulled out of the parking lot?

What the Heck?

I know they say that tattoos and belly button piercing are two of the latest forms of self-expression among teens.

However, this is one fashion statement that I am saying no way, uh-uh, not going to happen, forget it to.

Usually, we're taught not to stare at the different or the strange. But honestly, I'm staring and wondering... What the heck?

Today at work I was researching HOME modifications for seniors. Somehow a BODY modification website popped up in my search. Unfortunately I clicked on the site before I realized what it was.

Holy Shit!


I had no idea such things occurred. I had no idea people went to such great lengths.

The lady pictured has 5920 piercings... with over 500 piercings in her external and internal vagina!

Holy Shit!

(warning... picture of pierced vagina below....)
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And a chain going from her vagina to her ass???

I'll NEVER understand it.

She must have one hell of an immune system to be able to heal all those piercings.

Scary thing is that this particular lady use to hold the Guinness Book of World Records for piercings. Some poor guy from Guinness had to go and actually look at and count every piercing.

I'll admit I am conservative... no piercings and no tattoo's.

Tell me, Do you have any?

Get to know me through Yahoo Images

I thought this was a kinda fun
Here's what I was suppose to do...

1 ) Answer the questions below in your mind

2) Take each answer and type it into Yahoo or Google Images

3) Take any picture from the first page of results and post. See if people can guess your answers.

1. The age you will be on your next birthday?

My note: Apparently that's what 36 looks like! I'm assuming the girl in this picture is probably 36 weeks pregnant!

2. A place you'd like to travel to?

My note: Sprichst du deutsch?

3. Your favorite place?

4. Your favorite object?




5. Your favorite food?

My note: Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and country gravy. Yum!

6. Your favorite animal?

7. Your favorite TV show?

My note: My neighbor recently told me about this HBO drama. It's about Mormon polygamists in Utah. It's a great show and totally addicting. I've watched all 2 seasons/18 hours of it (what's out on DVD) in less than a month. I'm actually considering paying for HBO so I can see Season 3 when it starts in January!

8. The town in which you were born?



9. The town in which you live?

10. The name of a past/current pet?

My note: When I was a little girl I named our first dog, Anika. I guess this girl's name must be Anika too... since her picture came up multiple times on Yahoo.

11. Favorite non-alcoholic drink?

My note: Even just looking at this picture makes my mouth start to water. Can you say addiction?

12. Your screen/blog name?

My note: Obviously there are other "bama fans in Boise" because this picture came up. Oh Lordy. Look at those guys. Are they the epitome of backwoods Alabama boys or what?

13. You favorite Sports Team?

My note: Don't tell Zac that I picked the Portland Winterhawks over Alabama Football. I'd probably be divorced by weeks end!

14. Favorite pastime?

My note: No... this picture doesn't mean my favorite pastime is eating! How Rude! It's supposed to show that my favorite pastime is scrapbooking.

15. A bad habit of yours?
16. Something you can't live without?

My note: My awesome family of course!

Boys will be Boys

This is Bryant and his friend, Patrick.

They have been friends since the day Patrick was born (exactly one month after Bryant).

Yesterday we went to Patrick's house for a "Boys Play Day."

Bryant was so excited to find out Patrick now has a Trampoline (or a Jumpoline as Bryant calls it)

They boys were wild on the Tramp.

They did jumps, flips and twists.

They even had a wrestling match!

When they finally tired out from jumping they decide to play boxing.

The punched each other (HARD) with inflatable boxing gloves.

Finally we had to break it up and directed them back outside.

The boys decided to ride bikes.

But no... the couldn't just RIDE bikes... they had to JUMP them of a ramp!

Notice they are such dare devils that they put the jump on cinderblocks to give it a little more height!

And when they were bored with just "normal" jumping... they decided to place various objects underneath the jump to jump over.

(Notice the inflatable intertube and bike helmets)

And before you give me the "business" for Bryant not wearing a bike helmet... he was wearing one until he decided to take it off to jump over!

It was fun for Bryant... (not for his mom)

He loves being wild. He loves the adrenaline rush (click HERE for past excitement)

He also loves the "war wounds" from a day of "Boys being Boys"

Hence the

dirty and scratched elbow...

A bloody ankle...

A scraped and pinched neck...

Yes, it's all in a days fun when you're 5 years old.

PS: Patrick's mom, Katie, is an RN. So at least I know she knows what she's doing when it's time to do our broken bone check!