November 26, 2010

I got up at 4:00 a.m. this morning to go shopping. I wasn't sure I would do that this year because I just will NOT go to Wal-mart early in the morning on Black Friday anymore since they are open all night. And, I don't want to do the all night thing. But, I decided to go anyway. I left the house around 4:30 and went to Target.

I actually found several things there. I left Target before 6:00 and headed to the mall. The mall was PACKED. I drove around for about 10 minutes before I found a parking spot. I went into JC Penney first. Then, I headed to Borders. I stopped at a sports kiosk on my way out of Borders. Then, stopped at a kiosk that was selling personalized ornaments. I got a swimming one for Michaela and a football one for Caleb.

I looked around in Macy's for a while and then headed out of the mall. I went to Wal-mart after that. I almost got run over by a manager at Wal-mart moving a rack and saying things very loudly about customers who would not move so he could move things around. It was actually very rude, since I had JUST stepped up into that area.

I had planned on going to Bass Pro Shop, too, but by the time I left Wal-mart it was about 20 minutes to 11 when the morning sales were over. Plus, I was feeling light headed and getting really tired.

I came home and tried to nap some, but of course my children were not at all cooperative with that. I did make us some lunch and then this afternoon the kids and I watched Disney's Christmas Carol.

This evening we all went to Applebee's to have supper. Now, I'm just vegetating and watching the fourth season of The Tudors.

Thanksgiving Day 2010

It is Thanksgiving Day. My mom, Griff, Brandon and Karen came over for Thanksgiving today. We had turkey that turned on pretty good... not my best but still was good. I always get very nervous that my turkey will not turn out one of these years.

We also had stuffing, cranberries, canned cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, corn, rolls, noodles, mashed potatoes and gravy, pickles, olives, raw vegetables, and deviled eggs. Michaela made the deviled eggs. We had pumpkin pie, cheesecake and gingerbread with caramel sauce for dessert.

Everyone was here until around 8:00 or so. I am setting my alarm to get up in the morning, but I'm not sure I'm going to actually go shopping. We'll see.

November 24, 2010

It was a VERY BUSY day for us today. The kids and I both had the day off from work/school. We took the van out to the auto body shop and got an estimate on getting it fixed. The lady who ran in me damaged the bumper enough that the plastic surround on it has to be replaced. The damage to the side of the van will be fixed, too but we'll pay for that. I'm just really glad to have that all taken care of until we take it in to get it fixed. I have to drop it off next Wednesday. The lady's insurance is going to pay for a rental car, too. The place we take the van too arranges all that for us, too.

The kids and I went and got a few things at Wal-mart after we left the auto body shop, then we came home. We ate lunch and got started cleaning. We cleaned the rest of the day and the kids really did a great job and did not complain at all. The did every thing I asked them to do. I am very proud of them.

Michael made two pumpkin pies, a cheesecake and cranberries when he got home tonight. He brought Subway home with him so we wouldn't have to cook anything tonight for supper. Michael also cleaned up the basement tonight. He's such a great husband.

I started working on the turkey at 10:00 p.m. I made the stuffing and cleaned out the dishwasher before stuffing the turkey. Michael helped me get the bird in the oven and I turned the oven on so it could start cooking. I love cooking the turkey that way. Having the house smell like turkey when you wake up is so incredible. That's how Thanksgiving was when I was growing up (when we stayed home for it) and I just love it.

November 7, 2010

Well, our first experience with the SCCY Gobbler is over. We had to be at the Y early this morning. We were there by 6:45 a.m. Michaela had 5 events again today. Michael and I worked staging and that was fun. I got to call the events on the microphone. I really enjoyed that.

I missed one of Michaela's heats because I had missed it on the heat sheet. But, it was an individual heat and she shaved a whole 11 seconds off her time on the 50 m freestyle. I'm so proud of her and so excited for her!!! That is HUGE! One of her backstroke relay teams came in second, too. She had a fantastic day in the water today.

We were home by about 2:30 today and that was a lot earlier than we were expecting. Michael went outside to paint the boards he's replaced on the house. I've been doing laundry and I went up to my mom's so she could mark some pants for me. She's going to hem them for me.

Now, I'm going to go try to figure our what we're going to have for supper. The rest of the night I'll be working on laundry and maybe do some things for work. I am going to try to go to bed before 10:00 p.m. tonight.

November 6, 2010

It was a really long day, but I think we all enjoyed the day. I went to Dierberg's this morning before we had to leave and got the vegetable platter for the coaches meals and the two 2 liters of soda we were supposed to donate.

We were at the Y a little before 10:00 a.m. After we got Michaela's area set up in the gym, I went to help with the concessions. Michael worked "security" for the first part of the meet and I helped out with concessions. It was fun. I enjoyed the people I worked with in concessions. I was right there were I could just step over and see Michaela swim. She is having so much fun with swimming. She just lights up whenever she gets near the pool.

We were there until about 5:30 tonight. Michaela did really well and one of her relay teams came in third for their relay. She loved it today.

We came home and ordered a pizza from Stefanina's. I've been doing laundry tonight. I've gotten about four loads done. Michael needed socks for tomorrow so I had to make sure I got at least that far with the laundry.

November 5, 2010

Michaela had swim practice tonight. We were a little late, but she was there for most of it. I helped with the beginning of setting up for the Gobbler. We were working on getting the concession area put up and ready to go. I enjoyed helping out.

We took the kids to Steak 'n Shake for supper after wards. Now, we're all home and it's time to go to bed. I'm really tired and we've got a busy weekend ahead of us. Michaela is very excited. I really love seeing her excited about this.

November 4, 2010

It's Thursday and I just want it to be next Thursday. I am not looking forward to work tomorrow. I hate PD days. I just want my students and don't want to have to deal with sitting around in meetings all day.

This weekend we'll be at the Y most of the weekend for The Gobbler. They have been gearing up for this since we started the swimming season. It's the big fundraiser meet for the year. We've had to donate tons of stuff for this. But, supposedly it keeps us from having to sell candy bars or such. I sure hope so.

Caleb and I had our first classes back in the water tonight. Caleb is in the Guppy Plus class now and I'm back in the deep end water aerobics. It was nice to be back at it. I'm wiped out, but it's a good wiped out. I'm really glad we are back at it. Caleb really enjoyed it, too.

November 3, 2010

Well, thank you my fellow Missourians for voting away our rights to owning animals. I cannot believe how incredibly STUPID my state mates are. Seriously? You all really think that this whole thing was about saving puppies and dogs from puppy mills.

HELLO WE ALREADY HAD PUPPY MILL LAWS!!!!! I'm just so disgusted with the people of my state right now I cannot even think straight. It's literally making me sick to my stomach.

November 2, 2010

It was election day. Today was the day Missourians were asked to vote on Proposition B. I'm sitting here now watching the returns. I really hope this thing does not pass. I hope Americans are willing to become strict vegetarians if things keep going the way they are going now.

I've been reading more on the HSUS and Wayne Pacelle. It is just really depressing me. These people use the name Humane Society, but they HAVE NOTHING TO DO with our local shelters. They do not own shelters. They do not operate shelters. They do no help out local shelters. The more I read the more I know that they are not concerned about the dogs in the puppy mills.

Wayne Pacelle has stated that he is all for the extinction of domesticated animals. The HSUS did fund raising for the displaced pets of Hurricane Katrina. Out of the millions of dollars they raised they only gave about 1% of it to animal rescue groups who were working to save those pets. The rest of that money went right back into their lobbying efforts.

I am just really upset by all I'm reading. It's making me miss my Abby girl so much more. I just want to hug her to me and she's not here. I hope the people of MO are happy when their right to own animals is taken away from them. It makes me so mad that people do not really read things and do not really do their research and do not realize that propositions are legal documents and are written like legal documents so they should be read like legal documents. What is written down in the body trumps anything at the beginning or any definitions that a normal person would apply to terminology they would use in every day life.

November 1, 2010

And, so it's Monday again. Somehow this day comes faster than any other day of the week. However, I am much happier this Monday than most since we do not have a staff meeting tomorrow. Yeah!

Work was ok today. The kids were pretty good and we seem to get a lot done. We did not get to go to the library because our librarian was at a meeting. I was kind of bummed about that. I really like our new librarian. She's a lot of fun. The kids like her too.

Tonight Michaela had girl scouts. Luckily, I was able to get a new nut order form for her. We managed to lose hers. I've no idea what we did with it, but I cannot find it anywhere.

It was a pretty good meeting. The girls worked on their leadership. They did a pretty good job.