Wordless Wednesday

TIME TO STOP!

We have been home for almost 3 weeks now from our vacation. It is time to stop and SLOW DOWN! I am ready for some relaxation.  I am so far behind in bloggy land.... I have a TON of posts I would like to share.

First things first....

How about we finish up the 10 rules of camping?  LOL  I was going to post one each day.  BUT HEY totally got derailed.

Rule #2 - If you have an only child.... it is best to NOT let them take a friend for more than a couple of days. They are used to being by themselves, thus taking someone else, only spoils their alone time that they are used to....

and can make for some ugly words and  melt downs.

Rule # 3 - When children are involved.... don't give an inch... they will take a mile.

not going to elaborate on this one, for fear of getting another migraine over it...

Rule #4 - Be prepared.  Pack all you need ahead of time.  Whatever you do... DO NOT try to go to a walmart near the lake on the 1st of the month, that falls on a friday preceding a holiday weekend just because you forgot some silly little something.

There were some amazing people though... but I was kind of scared and made the girls stay close!

Rule #5 - Refer back to Rule #4 Be prepared. Take all alcohol that you may need. Take extra. Take even more extra.  Showing up at the liquior store at 8:50pm on Saturday night before a holiday.... the crazy people are out. 

Yes, I know, this included me, as I was also out at the liquior store at this time.

Rule #6 - When your child yells MOM! - It's a good idea to turn around slowly to see what is behind you.... Phew! Only a racoon.....

Rule # 7 - When your child hears a noise.... DO NOT DISMISS IT! We got armadillo attacked EVERYNIGHT!

Rule # 8 - Take the pets.... they enjoy camping also. I couldn't IMAGINE leaving the blind ol' thing behind.  He would be heart broken!

Rule # 9 - when trying to relax... be aware of your surroundings.

The last night we were there, everyone else was in bed.  I was trying to cool down from things involving rules 2,3 & 7..... Mr Racoon decided to come sit in the chair beside me. I think I may have tinkled in my panties when I saw him just sitting there.

Rule #10 - Refer back to previous post and Rule # 1.  Have fun.  You never know when it will be your last trip.

This ended up being our last trip, the truck and trailer sold.... within days of posting them, they were gone.

10 Rules of Camping... Part 1

This 4th of July we took a 6 night trip to the lake.

In all, our group had 4 campsites.

There were 8 girls ranging in age from 10-21 and 4 couples....

The poor men did not stand a chance.

This may have been our last trip out in the travel trailer....

We have come to terms that we would rather have a lake house and a jeep....

So, no more travel trailer and no more one ton truck to pull it.

We just hope we can sell it soon.

Over the last 8 years of camping in the trailer we have learned many things.

Over the next few days I will share some of those.

As for today....

Rule number one when going out camping.... 

Have fun.

When the temps are 100+ every stinking day, water activities can cool you off....

Especially when my brother is driving the boat.

 No mater how awesome you think you are.... he will fling you off the tube.

Nothing but NOTHING

Sooooooo I have not posted in a while. 

I am bad, I know.

I am about to have a meltdown.

Stress – Stress – Stress Keeps building.

It will all come to an end in about 48 hours.

In 48 hours, we leave for the lake….

Life in the travel trailer for 7 days.

No schedules

No plans

No work

Nothing but NOTHING

No internet -Nope not even on the phone….

I really should start gathering stuff tonight. The only thing I have done to get ready is make out a menu/grocery list, pulled storage totes out of the attic and gathered a few movies.

This my bloggy friends, is totally weird. Normally, I would already have EVERYTHING packed and ready to go!

But I don’t.

Crazy Commuting

The morning drive to work just drives me INSANE!  If everyone would focus and drive, there would not be issues. I think I have come up with a top ten list of

THINGS NOT TO DO WHILE DRIVING!!!

• Eating
• Brushing hair or Shaving
• TEXTING
• Flossing yout Teeth
• Changing Clothes
• Masterbating
• Putting on make up
• Reading
• Having Sex
• Picking Nose

I followed a lady to work the other day.... she was all over the road!  I though wow is she drunk at 7am?  Then I noticed she was putting on her make up. I then notice in the review mirror the guy behind was shaving. 
Are these people trying to kill someone?

I know I  have posted several times about driving.... 

But this drives me insane and I see it every stinkin' day...

AND

The problems are only getting worse.

Purposeless Brainwork

Saw this car driving down the road yesterday....

Wouldn't that be so fun to drive!

Last night we got the table covered in primer.... This is actually going to be a long process, so it seems.

We have found a couple of places on the chairs that may need to be hit just a touch with the welder...

This morning the clouds had the most amazing colors.  There were pinks and blues and grays....

The coloring  reminded me of the rainbowistic(is that a word?) look that oil has when it is floating on water.  Am I making any sense? 

I could not capture it in the picture... But it is still a neat pic.

While I was forwarding my pics from my phone to my email...

I ran across this.

I hate this photo... I hate snakes... I can't seem to delete it though....

BIG JUNK

Why do work weeks go so slow.... but the weekends seem to speed by so fast?

We started several weekend projects this past weekend.  Project #1 = patio table & chairs. We have a huge deck in our back yard but it lacks more furniture.  Score one for the home team... someone threw out a big table and 4 chairs in "big junk" pick up day. (The first trash day each month we are allowed to set out big junk at the curb and a different truck will haul it off.) Yes we went and took someone's trash. It is wrought iron.... just needs a little sanding, some rustoleum and a fresh coat of paint. We saved about $1000 for being crafty!  YEAH!! 

You know big junk pick up day is sometimes like Christmas... We have gotten a computer, a power washer and a top of the line wheel barrow. 

Another project we started was power washing the deck so we can water seal it again.  May end up having to sand some of the old stain off... But hey we are using the heck out of the power washer we got out of someone's big junk pile.

NO we do not go driving around looking through all the big junk piles.  BUT if we do see something while we are driving in the addition.... we stop and get it.

Does anyone else's city have a big junk day?

OH - off the topic.  There are some of you that I have been trying to post comments... it will not let me. While others it will... So YES  I have been reading your posts... but eh... can't comment.... ggrrrr I hope the problems get fixed soon.  Many are talking of the same issues, so I know it's not just me. I think I have figured it out though... I am only able to comment on those that have comment boxes that open in a new window.  The ones embedded under the post are not allowing me to comment. :(

Redneck Fun

A few weekends ago we decided to brave the chilly WINDS and go have a little fun, redneck style. We loaded the cooler and lawn chairs in the the truck and took off for our adventure.... making sure to stop at the quickshop/gas station to grab plenty of junk food snacks.

Once we arrived, we drug everything out of the truck.  We found where our friends had already set up their chairs and cleared all the cow poo out of our area beside them.  We then set up shop in the middle of the modified cow pasture.

The granddaughter "H" of our friends kept us on our toes most of the day.  She didn't mind snuggling in with Kobi at all - the wind was bitter.

Our conversation with "H" upon arrival:

ME- Hey "H" how are you?

"H"- *blank stare*

The Hubs-Honey, I don't think she remembers who we are....

"H"- Yes I do... I member who I am... I'm H.....(insert full name as she stomps away)

Too Cute.

OH - so what where we doing in the middle of the cow pasture??

MUD BOG

Total redneck fun.

Raised trucks.

Big Tires

Loud Engines

LOTS O MUD

Look closely and you will see I was serious about clearing out the cow poo....

This is actually a modified something going through the 4 ft deep mud pit that was 300ft long(or something like that). Pardon me for not getting closer to get a better picture.  Not the kind of mud bath I like....

Every so often the trucks would loose control.  The 3rd truck down the track flipped. Nobody was injured(or I would not be posting this pic)

Some where even silly enough to go through the pit topless....

Kind of crazy....

Dance Your Cares Away

Quick.... Where did I steal that title from? 

The tune will be stuck in your head for DAYS!!

Do you need a hint?

You can thank me later!

We are known for having the neighbors over every now and again and again and again…

Ok so it’s totally weird if it is not at least every couple of weeks.

I love to cook and let everyone sample my recipes…

Everyone just hangs out and relaxes...

Sometimes it ends up out in the garage with everyone shooting pool…

Sometimes the “adults” take over the wii inside.

All I can say is…..

Adult beverages + Just Dance on the wii = a ton of laughs + sore muscles for days

BTW --- Notice my wall decor?  I have to say THANKS Stephanie!  It's all your fault!  I ended up finding a new addiction.  A store I had never heard of before.... Didn't realize there was one about 6 blocks from my work.  I am totally addicted to Kirklands and it is all Stephanie's fault for showing off a cute mirror in her blog.  Retail therapy at it's finest.

By the way.... Fraggle Rock

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Today …. I am tired.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

This post may just make you go ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ also...

I stayed up to late last night talking on the phone.

It was important though.

I am glad that I did.

This summer has started out totally INSANE!

I am ready for a vacation. Counting the days down….

27 days to go. Maybe 26 if I can talk the hubby into leaving day early.

Kobi got a job and I really hope they do not complain about her needing a week off for family vacation. She turned in the request last night…. We will see.

Since Kobi is only 15…. Her getting a job is kind of like me getting a 2nd job. I get to rush home from work and “taxi” her back and forth. Do you know how hard it is to find a company/business that will hire a 15yr old? She actually got a job as a waitress. She is LOVING the tips!! After working for just 3 days… they scheduled her for 7 straight. I figure either they like her work…. Or they are trying to get her to quit. Things worked out though… she ended up with 2 days off.

Yes my post is totally random and senseless….

To tired to think though and pull it all together…

Positively Positive

So - yesterday’s post was pretty depressing. What a heck of a post to kick things off! I am going to try to make my posts a little more positive...

I am positive that I will have more positive posts that will make you positively happier in your life...

Yeah, I know... Whatever...

How about today I share a little recipe I found while I was MIA from the bloggy world.

This has become a once a week staple in our menu rotations…

It is a Mexican Marinade for flank steak, or sirloin. But then you can use the meat for quesadillas, burritos, street tacos, chimichangas or fajitas…

What you need:

2 - 7 oz cans of Chipotle Peppers

½ bundle of cilantro

Juice from 2-3 Limes

¼ cup oil

Combine the above 3 ingredients in a blender until smooth and creamy. Then dump the sauce into a large ziplock bag and place the meat in there to soak. After about an hour, you can grill the meat. (Megan, YES, you need a grill for this one. You don’t know what you are missing!!)

I usually dice the meat up and put it in a container in the fridge to be reheated for quesadillas or tacos.

Totally YUMMO – AND – EASY!!

HOWDY!

HOWDY!

Did ya miss me?

I am back….

Yes. FINALLY.

What a crazy mess it has been around here!

Tax season = 60+ hours of work a week.

Teenager = countless taxi hours

End of school= Many hours of extra activities.

2 garage sales= insanity

Then, you know… we have that Oklahoma weather. Last week Ma Nature decided to give us a reality check and passed a tornado pretty close to our home. While we hid in our shelter and escaped without damage, many of our friends were not so lucky. We have friends that lost it all…. We have friends that are cousins with people that lost children…. And we are friends with some that have some damage, but will make it through (if they don’t kill their insurance people first)….

It really is sad though. We took our first trip through the damage this past weekend. Kobi was having withdrawals and wanted to see her boyfriend. – His housing addition was one that got hit so getting to it was a mess. Looking at all the destruction, the mangled trees, the homes torn to shreds… the random semi upside down in the middle of field (I really wonder where it came from!). Upon turning into his addition, I looked at what was left of a home and barn… I couldn’t help but think that the last time I drove down this road, that house had 20+ cars setting there and they were having a huge graduation celebration with a ton of family friends…. Who knew that only a few days later it would all be gone!

Anyhow…

I am back.


Article on my BFF's nephews :(
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1390830/Piedmont-OK-tornado-Hunt-missing-3-year-old-Ryan-Hamil-family-injured.html

 

Flowers..... For Me?

While I was "vacationing"  hehe... that's what we will call it....

I received flowers from The Minute Man's Wife.  How sweet was that?

If you don't follow her blog, you should go check it out!

I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

She is pretty funny and would be a true gem in your blog line up!

So follow her!

The rules are pretty simple.

* Copy and paste this award to your blog

* Thank and link to the person that tagged you with it.

* List 7 facts about yourself

* Give the award to 5 other bloggers you enjoy and tell them they have it.

 

So here it goes.......

 

1- Me and my life is totally dysfunctional.  My husband and child are also a bit on the dysfunctional side too.  It's just how we roll.  While we do some normal things... like set down to a home cooked meal most nights... the dysfunctional part comes in during conversation.  Blood, poop, puke, nothing seems to be off limits during the conversations.

 

2- I am a planner.  I get totally stressed out and cranky when things are spur of the moment and not what I planned.

 

3- I grew up in a VERY small little rural farming community - like 800 people small. I was a member of the girl scouts and 4-H.  I used to compete in livestock judging and meat identification contests. I am a transplant into the city.

 

4- I wish I knew as much as my daughter does.  At the age of 15 she knows it all already and I know nothing. We clash often over this fact.

 

5- Yes I am an accountant now... but once upon a time, I was a Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher.  I have the degrees to prove it.  Sometimes I miss not being able to play all day long with the kids. 

 

6- Referring back to fact # 3.  I once was present for the birth of a two headed calf. It actually lived for a few minutes. 

 

7- I am totally NOT a TV or music person. I listen to music in the car... but that is about it. Oh and there is one show that I will watch religiously...

Big Brother

Weird, yes I know.

 

NOW....  I would like to pass on the flowers to 5 deserving bloggers that I enjoy stalking following.  Some I have been following since I started blogging and others i have stumbled upon just recently. But I thought YOU might enjoy them too... so check them out!


a life of {un}domestic bliss


Mom Thoughts


On The Couch


Ranch Momma


You Don't Know...

How do I just pick 5 from all my wonderful bloggy friends?

CHEER UP SWAP

Sooooo HEY THERE -

I just have one thing to say....

Hospital stay = me way behind!

Daughter behind in Geometry = me way behind!

New Android means getting addicted = me way behind!

Tax season & work = Me way behind!

I look behind me and the ol' bum is dragging so far back there... I can't see it any more.

Recently I took part in a Cheer Up Swap that Brandy and Sheila hosted.

They paired me up with Stephanie over at Thoughts From Cali.

If you don't follow any of these 3 blogs.... YOU SHOULD.

Really

Go check them out and follow them now...

 For the swap we sent packages to our partners.

Mined Rocked!

There was an adorable necklace that my daughter is already trying to steal...

Some yummy treats, gardening gloves, seeds, and flower pot decorations....

A little make up bag, some lip stuff and smell good stuff.

A trinket with Steph's personal touch of the beach, an adorable picture frame and an adorable scrap booking package.

More yummy treats, a little note pad that I am already making good use of...

Foot lotion that smells awesomtastic and fluffy soft socks.

SCORE!

Thursday Thoughts

So there are so many different things happening right now...

First off, I am HOME from the hospital.  There are still medicines and tests and treatments... but YEAH! I am home.

Waiting for me at home was the new scent of the month from scentsy - Jumpin' Jelly Bean.  OHHHH  MY!! LOVE IT!!  As always... if you need anything SCENTSY - you can click on my logo over there on the right side of the page... or click HERE.  Everything is 10% off this month.  Plus stock up on the plug ins-the price is going up March 1st.

We went for Kobi to take her driving permit test yesterday.  Waited 3 hours to test - REALLY? 3 hours?... only to find out there was a problem with her social security card/number.  So off across town we went to wait another 2 hours to get that taken care of.  Frustrating and to make things worse... she was having a hard time being patient and understanding.-Life changing event here for her...but nothing was going right.

After yesterday, we figured out the ropes and got back to the testing center.  This time we only had to wait an hour at the testing center and we were at the tag agency to get her permit before they even opened. SCARY- because now she drives.

We took her car so she could drive back to school. REALLY? I may need some Valium for this.

What a great feeling it is to come in this morning and find out that my blog was featured at the CBC- Casual Blogger Community today.  YEAH! You should go check them out!  It is actually an awesome way to find new bloggy friends :)

My hubs' company started offering cell phone service recently.... we got new phones.  There was an issue porting numbers though... so I have had a new android in my hands... and haven't been able to use it yet. Crossing my fingers today will be the day.

I also got flowers from The Minute Man's Wife.... I will actually blog about that soon.  While you are waiting on me... you should REALLY go check out her blog.  She is a riot!

OK, so off to work I go.  I am really scared at what I may find when I get there!