the boy was sure surprised

To see a new IPod sitting on the coffee table when we got back from Mass tonight;-) The look on his face was priceless. I wish I had thought to have the camera ready.

He has been working really hard at everything....his schoolwork, his music, helping out around the house, stepping up as leader at youth group. Not to mention his room is almost clean. He has really matured this year. This weekend, for example. Friday night it was pouring rain, and he *could* have gotten out of serving soup after Stations at church. (I was kind of hoping he didn't want to go out in the rain. I sure didn't) Yesterday he spent the day at Derek's practicing the songs for the battle of the bands later this month, then got up at 6:30 this morning to serve from 8-12 at the pancake breakfast the Knights of Columbus put on. He had a 3 hour break, then back for youth group, choir practice & Mass.

We were going to save the IPod until school is out, but since he and I leave for L.A. on Wednesday for youth day/religious ed. convention, I decided he needed the IPod now (because I want to use my cd player this week. Selfish reasons, lol)

Besides, he is a good kid and deserves it;-)

Ok, I am finished bragging about my son for the moment.
But I am a lucky mom.

*Grin*

zorro in hell

http://www.zorro.com/news-cc.html

Casey had to go see this play last night for her theatre arts class, so I went with her.

Here's my review:)

It rocked.

I thought it was laugh out loud funny, entertaining, political and thought provoking. I also don't think it would go over well here in conservativeville. Thank God I live close enough to Berkeley;-)

Seriously, I would like to take Joseph. I think he would enjoy it as well. I will most definitely look for any other Culture Clash's shows and try and see them.

i just noticed

The date. It's March 22. My dad would be 88 today.


I love you Dad, and I miss you :*)

I hope you and Mom are celebrating together:)

Today's Special :Guilt

Chris had his (phone) interview with the guy from Ponca City. He is perfect for the job. Exactly what and who they want. He comes highly recommended, etc. He isn't getting the job though...because he won't relocate. In actuality, I won't relocate. No matter that he would be travelling over half the time, and he could really do that from here. They want him based in Ponca City.....and I am such a spoiled baby I won't move. Joseph doesn't want to go either, but I am SO feeling like I am fucking things up. What do I do? I honestly don't think I could live there. I mean live. As in survive. No matter. I feel like i am holding him back.

Then...I turned my cell off yesterday for class, and forgot to turn it on until today. When I turned it on, there were 3 voice mails from Casey begging me to call her. She was having an emergency. She was in tears. I wasn't available. When I finally connected with her today, she told me that she had such a panic attack she had to call an ambulance and go to the hospital. Steve is out of town, and I am who she relies on when he is gone. She is at her brothers right now. She has been diagnosed with acute panic disorder and post traumatic stress. (She was in a horrible car accident in December) I feel so awful for not having my phone on when she needed me :*(

I hate guilt.

rain rain go away

Today is the first day of spring...and it is raining yet again. **Note to Mother Nature** Seriously , we've had enough for awhile. We're at something like 120% of normal. Do you think you could give us just a little break? Pretty please? My back lawn looks more like a swamp, and we'd really like to get the garden tilled and ready to plant.

The flowers I planted a couple of weeks ago have really exploded though. There is a silver lining in all these friggin rain clouds. Pretty flowers and no drought. It could be worse. I guess I would rather have it wet than dry. Water restrictions suck eggs. We have been there before.

And I do have a yellow rain slicker and very cute rain boots;-)


From the inbox (thanks Eleanor) :

LATE BREAKING NEWS!!!!!!

In a courageous attempt to thwart the spread of bird flu, President George W. Bush has just bombed the Canary Islands.

In honor of St Patrick's Day tomorrow.

Your Irish Name Is...

Roisin Sheridan

What's" your Irish Name?

Lemon Tree Very Pretty

I have wanted a lemon tree almost since we bought this house. I hate buying lemons in the store. I used to get mine from LaDonn, but since she moved away, my lemon source has dried up (pun intended)

We have an apple tree and an orange tree. I wanted a lemon tree too, dammit. More specifically, a Meyer Lemon tree.

I finally got one last weekend. It is a true dwarf tree, so we have it in a half whiskey barrel on the back patio. It already has lemons on it, too. Ahh.....life is good.

http://kevan.org/johari?name=raingirl

Lent

So far so good;-)

I am trying to give up swearing for Lent. (I can cuss like a trucker/sailor/take your pick) I am doing better. Really. I sh*t you not ;-) Seriously, I really have a potty mouth. I need to stop. I have been a whole lot better. I am thinking more about what I say. Maybe I will actually cut down on my cursing for ever. Maybe I won't ;-)

I went to Bible study tonight. Fr. Mike has one every Lent. I really feel better going. It seems to clear my mind. I used to go to a bible study in high school (bet you didn't know that about me) I love to learn, and to hear different perspectives.

This season, our bible study is about the passion of Christ. Of course, Fr Mike really liked the Mel Gibson movie....and he mentions it frequently during the 90 minutes or so we are there. I have to admit, I never did see the movie. Maybe I should rent it during Lent this year. Anyway, I think the Bible study will be good for me this year.

Being as his last name is McFadden, and he IS an Irish priest, he did talk a lot about St Patrick tonight. He also said that the Bishop didn't give dispensation for this Friday (St. Patrick's Day. We Catholics are supposed to fast on Friday. ( no meat = no corned beef and cabbage) He did say that the priest could also give dispensation;-) Will I go to hell if I eat corned beef & cabbage on Friday? I don't really think so. After all, eating meat isn't up there with murder & stealing, is it? Please don't tell me it is. I really want my corned beef. We will be serving soup until 7:30 at church though. Will that help?

I finally got up to the new IKEA in West Sacramento today. It's been open for a week or so, but I didn't want to fight the huge crowds at first. It's bigger than the Emeryville store I think. There is a lot of new and different stuff too. I *heart* IKEA. Really. I am thrilled that we have one 30 minutes away now. It will be a lot easier to get there.

I only got a few things today. I'm working on getting the 'classroom' cleaned out, since Joseph does his work on the sofa with a lap desk now. I have SO many books and stuff to go through and decide what to do with. What do I want to keep, and what do I want to get rid of. Anyway, I bought a bunch of containers there to make SOME kind of dent in that room. Joseph wants to soundproof the walls and use it for a studio. I think that will be a great idea. I will just be happy to get all. those. guitars. out of my front room;-)

Of course, a trip to IKEA isn't complete unless I buy meatballs. OMG, those friggin meatballs are SO good.


We had a parent's meeting at Jo's tonight. We spent the first 30 minutes helping Alyssa decide which shoes to wear with her prom dress...which is outstandingly beautiful. It is kind of a light teal-y color with beading. Gorgeous. Just gorgeous. She is stressing big time. What shoes, which hairstyle...she brought pictures down of a couple of different hairstyles. I liked one a lot more than the other. So did she. It is very pretty, a half up/half down with tendrils....she will look like a princess. A sexy princess, LOL.

We did actually get some business done too. We're getting everything finalized for the convention and youth day.

Only 3 more weeks until the L.A. trip! We're all excited. Fr. Humberto (El Guapo) is coming along. He can't stay for the whole weekend though, as he can't get anyone to cover for him at Spanish mass. He will go home with the kids on Friday, and I will stay with Jo for the weekend to attend the rest of the convention & workshops. John and Tony are going back on Friday as well.

Light the Way

I found some cool clear votive holders at Big Lots for 29 cents each ( I *heart* Big Lots) , so I decided to have the kids at CCD decopauge them today. When I was at Target the other day, they had some of their specialty tissue paper on clearance (Some of it looks hand made) in purples, blues and pinks. The votive holders turned out really pretty.

I also brought a bunch of vanilla scented candles, so when they were all finished, they put the candles in, and we had a small prayer service at the end of class. I told them to remember when they light their candles, that Jesus is the light of the world. It worked well.

They were actually all engaged today. Even the boys;-) Funny, but their hormones are already bubbling up (6th grade) and they try so hard to be cool, but give them glue and paper, and they are as happy as clams. It makes me happy when they seem to actually enjoy being in class....not just because they have to be.

This morning, I went up to Sacramento, to the big Catholic bookstore, to try and find some different stuff for these kids to do. I didn't find much for the kids, but lots for me. *Sigh* I know why I don't go in there often. I spent almost $80.

I have decide to make an 'altar' in my house. I am doing it for Lent, but will keep it all the time. I got a nice Crucifix, a small statue of Jesus and a smaller one of Mary. Now I need to find a suitable table. I will put a cloth on it, and my Bible and rosary, along with the cross and statues. I also think I will put one of the votive holders we made in class today:)

A Note to the Teens

... who showed up last night to serve soup after the Stations of the Cross at church.

You rock.

There were only 5 of you, but you managed to get it all done. You served all the soup up with a smile, even when you had no clue what kind of soup it was.

*Note to those who bring soup* Label the soup, please. We had to play 'guess the soup' before the masses came in. Thank you for bringing it, but please, please label it. And another request...it is up to you, the ones who bring the soup, to make sure it is hot enough to eat. I am not going to be responsible for any kids getting burned carrying a big pot of soup from the stove. Do you know what kind of trouble there would be if one of those kids spilled soup on themself and got burned? Really. So, if you bring the pot of soup two hours before the kids have to serve it, please come in a few minutes before serving time to make sure it is heated enough. Thank you.

Kids, you had the tables set with spoons and napkins, the garlic bread cut and placed in bowls on the table, the coffee made and water out. About the only thing I had to do was remind you to put more spoons & napkins out after the first group ate.

Thank you all for giving up a few hours of your precious Friday night to help serve. We've got 6 more Fridays to do this. I know there are lots of other things you could be doing instead of hanging around the parish hall. It is much appreciated:-)

PS. The few who complained, I would ask you to remember a couple of things. First, this is a free meal. It ain't the Ritz. These kids are doing it because they want to. They don't get paid for it.

If you don't like the soups for any reason, don't complain to the kids. All they do is dish it up. That is all. They didn't make it.

PPS: To the vast majority of people, thanks for taking the time to thank the kids for their help. It is nice for them to feel appreciation for what they do. And, to the one lady who came in and gave me a hug and told me how sweet those kids are...thanks. You made my night. These kids are awesome, and I'm glad someone sees it:-)

New Job? I Hope Not.

A posting came open for a new job within the company for Chris. It is what he really wants to do ( travel and help out at other coking units around the country and possibly world) , but it is based here: http://www.poncacityok.com/

he haasn't even decided whether or not to apply for it. he said if he did that he would find out if he could stay here and do the same job. It entails travel about 60% of the time, so while he would be travelling, Joseph and I would be in Ponca City. I can't even begin to get enthused about it. He says he wouldn't take the job if it means moving there, but.......

Rainy Day and Monday

Holy Gucamole! It has been pouring rain all day. Last time I checked, we've received almost 2 inches since midnight, and it's not even 2 in the afternoon. They are worried here about some parts of the city that got flooded New year's Eve. I guess they have been passing out sandbags.

I did manage to get to Michael's during a break in the rain to get some foam crosses for the CCD class to decorate tomorrow. I also picked up a few other things. I can't go to Michael's and get just one thing. I think it is physically impossible;-)

One thing about it being so wet...I am definitely getting some cleaning done. And I hate. to. clean. house. Really.

I wish I had a maid;-)

Blah Blah Blah

I'm in a funk. I don't know why...winter blues, I guess. I am feeling old, frumpy and unattractive, not to mention unappreciated.

The boys are playing tomorrow night and I still haven't decided whether I am going to see them. More than likely I will go. Chris said I should. *Sigh* I hate feeling like this. I don't know how people who really suffer from depression do it. I am awful just when I have the blues:/ I need to snap out of it.

The Eucharistic Ministers had a big meeting with Fr Mike a couple of weeks ago to go over his 'rules'. They actually aren't as bad as I thought. I think a lot of his bitchiness lately has to do with his bad back. I am sad that we have lost 3 EMs lately though:( Tony had to quit because of his migraines...and Andy was driven out I think....just because Cindy S. is his mom and Fr Mike doesn't like her. Freaking politics in church:(
Derek showed up at CCD on Tuesday to see Joseph (he comes every week and the two boys hang out....and sometimes help me) He had eyeliner on, A la Green Day;-) I got a giggle though. He went and washed it off before Kathy came to pick him up;-)

Embracing My Inner Geek

I got a new pencil set today. Liquid graphite! The pencils look like pens, but instead of ink, they are filled with liquid graphite. They are oh so cool. I can't believre how excited I get buying something like that. Office supply stores are fun for me....all the different types of pens, pencils, markers, paper and folders. *sigh* Yes, I am pathetic;-P I even got excited when Joseph and I went to Vancouver, because there was a Staples across the street from our hotel. I got to buy Canadian school supplies;-)

Weather or Not

I'm so glad I didn't buy all those flowers for the pots in the front.

We have been having the best weather. It has been in the 70s for the past week...in February. Chris was getting ready to till the garden and get it prepared, and I had about $100 worth of plants picked out to put in the flower pots and the half whiskey barrel. I was almost fooled. Almost.

It barely reached 50 degrees here today. That is a 20+ degree drop from yesterday. And we have a frost warning for tonight. If I had bought all those pretty flowers and planted them, I may have lost them. I would not have been a happy camper then.

Stinking weather. What a tease. I know what the calendar said, but it felt like April :(

*Sigh*

I just have to be patient. It will be warm enough soon, and I can get those flowers planted.

I have an urge to dig;-)

Olympic Valentine's Day

So, did you watch the Olympics last night? Did you see the Chinese pairs skater fall? Ouch! It looked so painful! I was so very impressed that she was able to continue skating, and then for them to win the silver medal was so cool. Wow.

I really need TiVo or a dvr from the cable company. I have to switch the tv back and forth so I don't miss any of the 'good' Olympic stuff I want to watch. Of course I missed some good stuff last night, but hey, it was Monday. I can't miss 24 ;-)

I woke up this morning to a box of See's candy and a small box from the jewelry store. Imagine my surprise. I expected the candy. Hell, he knows there had better be a box of See's. He definitely got me with the jewelry though. I got a heart shaped pendant with rubies in it & small ruby studs for my ears. Then, when he came home from work, he stopped & got me roses from the florist. Not Safeway;-)

We went to Chevy's for dinner. Yum...margaritas. **Warning** If you go to Chevy's and want the crab & shrimp quesedilla, please heed the description. Especially the part that reads: habanero sauce. Habanero sauce is hot. Very hot:/ Luckily we had nachos for an appetizer, so I finished those. The freaking 'dilla was too hot for me to eat :*(


I think the old man deserves a gold medal for this Valentine's Day;-)

I hope everyone had a great Valentine's :-)

The choir sounds particularly good at Mass this evening. I am so glad the kids have responded so well. With Joseph, John and Derek playing guitar and Jerry at the piano, it really sounds good:-) They did Amazing Grace. I can't make it throught that song without crying.

Joseph sang at Youth Group today too. Josephine and I were talking about how far he has come in the past couple of years. When he first joined, he was actually quiet (and Joseph is not a quiet child, LOL) Now, he's stepped up as a leader and he sings. Must be the power of the Holy Spirit;-)

Beautiful Day

Now I will be thinking of the U2 song all day;-)

It is a gorgeous day, another spring like day in February. It has been in the 70s all week. I've got the windows open and am starting early spring cleaning. What, am I crazy?

32 years?!?!

I will have to change my profile again.

32 years ago today, two kids, fresh out of high school, took off in a rented Pinto (they weren't even old enough to rent the car. Uncle Jack had to rent it) Along for the ride were their 2 best friends. They drove to Reno, where their rental had a flat tire right in front of the county clerk's office. The 2 kids went inside to get their marriage license while the best man changed the tire.

After that was done, they went to their hotel, only to find out their room wouldn't be ready until after 3. After 3??? The wedding was at 3! So, the bride to be got her dress on and makeup & hair fixed in the bathroom at a local gas station. The groom and his best man changed in the men's room.

Finally, they all arrived at St Thomas Aquinas Cathedral, where the priest was waiting to marry them. The wedding went off without a hitch (Good thing, since the hitches had all happened before the ceremony) After the ceremony, the newly married couple and their maid of honor and best man all went to the hotel, where they had a nice dinner. When the married couple went to their room, the husband ordered champagne from room service. The bride hid in the bathroom because she was afraid they would check ID's;-)

Who is this woman who has been married for thirty two years? It surely can't be me. I am nowhere near old enough to have been married this long. When I think of 32 years...oh my God, that is such a long time. It amazes me.

And they said it wouldn't last;-)

We went out to a wonderful dinner. It was so nice. We haven't had a date in years.
(And my crab fettucine was to die for)

Doing The Right Thing

I am proud of Joseph. Sunday, he told the youth minister that since Bridgett can't come to yg anymore (she was a leader) that he wanted to step up and be a youth group leader. Josephine was thrilled, and told both Joseph and me so. I am proud of him stepping up. Of course, this means more time and work but it's ok.

Today we did the trust walk with the 6th graders. (They pair off, one is blindfolded and their partner leads them around) It seemed to work well (except for the class clown and his sidekick. I finally had R take off his blindfold. Those two definitely test my patience.) No one fell down or ran into any walls during the trust walk, so it was a success;)

Must See TV

Mine, that is. I tell myself I don't watch a lot of tv. I tell myself that anyway;-)

Really, there are only a few shows I must watch. I have to watch Monk. If I am busy on a Friday night, I seriously try and get home by 10, just so I can see Monk. If I miss it on Friday, it is usually repeated a couple of times during the weekend, so I can catch it. It is funny, watching that show with an obsessive compulsive. My MIL is one. When she first watched it, she didn't see what was so funny. He just looked normal to her. She does *get* it now;-)

On Monday, I cannot miss 24. I told myself I wasn't going to get sucked in, but I so have. It is probably the most intense hour of tv I watch all week. If you haven't seen the bliss that is 24, you must watch. You must. Besides, Kiefer Sutherland is hot. Intense and hot;) My friend Deborah dated a guy who was Kiefer's double. I swear.

Other than those 2 shows, I watch mostly sitcoms. I <3 Will and Grace. I am going to miss it when it is gone. The other ones I watch are George Lopez and Rodney. I guess I like to see funny men after the intenseness (and hotness) that is Kiefer.

Oh! How could I forget Jeff Probst, er, I mean Survivor;-) Jeff is just adorable. what more can I say?

I haven't even mentioned daytime tv. I admit to being a Days of Our Lives junkie. I have been for 20 years or so.

And of course, there's Oprah...especially when Nate is on. He can decorate my house any time ;-)

Today was a beautiful day for window shopping and bargain hunting.

I found 3 vintage books. Two are school books from the 50's, and one is from either the late 1800s or early 1900s. I can't find a publish date anywhere. It is from Maynard's English Classic Series. Marmion by Sir Walter Scott. It is in very good shape and it cost a dollar;-)

Deals of the day were a pink Old Navy cardigan with tags on for $2.99 and a yellow Esprit sweater set for $2.99

It is a good thing Chris called me when they landed. A very good thing.

I wrote down his arrival time....on the calendar, in my planner and on the chalkboard. 11:35 a.m. Why then, did my mind decide he was getting in at 1:35 PM? I have no idea. When he called me at noon and told me they were just at the gate, I first thought they were delayed in taking off. "No", he said, "we just got here." "Here? You mean Sacramento??? You're early!"

No, dumb ass. They weren't early.
Thank goodness the airport is only about 40-45 minutes from here. He and Jeff only had to stand outside for a few minutes. He didn't even make a joke about me having blonde roots instead of grey;-)


We are a family of collectors. Whenever one of us travels, we get a shot glass (for Chris) and a tee shirt (for Joseph and/or me) from what city/state/country we travel to. Chris was going to bring home a tee shirt from Houston, but the only ones he could find said 'don't mess with Texas' Uh, no thanks;-) (No offense to my Texan friends) He did manage to find a shot glass that just said Houston on it. No worries though. If he goes back in March, and Joseph and I go along, I will find a tee shirt. One that doesn't say don't mess with Texas, have a humongous star on it, or *shudder* a picture of GWB;-)

For those who have been waiting with baited breath for a blog update from me, here it is. I've been bad about blogging the past couple of weeks. Sorry:)

Let's see, what has been going on...

Well, I went to Philly for Casey's birthday. The weather cooperated too. It was beautiful while I was there. The hotel was beautiful. Unfortunately, I didn't get in much sightseeing. Steve and Casey sleep really late. I mean really late;) I could have walked to the Liberty Bell I suppose, but didn't feel comfortable walking that far alone.

I did get to walk around downtown some. I went to the Wanamaker Building which was very cool. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wanamaker There is a Lord & Taylor there now.

I love the architecture in Philadelphia. What history there is in that area. I wish I had seen more. One day Steve took Casey and me to King of Prussia to go shopping. On the way, we drove past Valley Forge. Valley Forge! I hope I get to go back there again, and take Joseph and maybe Chris along. They are both history buffs too, and would enjoy it.

Other than the trip, it has been, well, January. I'm getting some cupboards cleaned out, and beginning some 'winter cleaning'. One of my resolutions this year is to get organised, and I am trying, I really am.

I'm getting the stuff together to get the taxes done. I'm just waiting on a few more things, and I have to call the rectory for the amount we donated to the church last year.

Chris will be home tomorrow. He has been gone since Monday on a trip to Lake Charles, La. He was telling me about how much damage is still apparent from the hurricane:( The hotel he was supposed to stay in (Holiday Inn in Lake Charles) didn't have their rooms available, even though they were guaranteed. I guess they are still full of hurricane victims. Luckily they were double booked, and stayed across town.

He's back in Houston tonight, and flies back home tomorrow. He may have to go back to Houston in March for a few days. If he does, Joseph and I will go with him. Maybe I can meet some friends there:)

Martini Anyone?

You Are a Classic Martini

You area sophisticated drinker, who knows that simple quality is over-rated. You're a knowledgeable drunk, but sometimes you're a know-it-all when you're blasted. You should never: Drink and gossip. You tend to forget who's standing right behind you! Your ideal party: Has a real bartender. But no one mixes a better drink than you. Your drinking soulmates: those with a Chocolate Martini personality Your drinking rivals: those with a Margarita Martini personality

What Flavor Martini Are You?

Blast From the Past

I was like a kid in a candy store today, literally. We went to Petaluma to window shop and hit the antique and thrift shops (more on my thrift shop scores in a minute)

Anyway, this new place has opened up. It is called Winsome Lass. It is a real candy store. Not only can you get Hershey bars and stuff like that, but it has candy I used to get when I was a kid. Candy I haven't seen in years. Candy and bubble gum cigarettes (so politically incorrect now), licorice pipes, wax lips, Boston Baked Beans, and foot long taffy. The also had cinnamon toothpicks. There was so much stuff. I could cheerfully spend a fortune there;)

I got the candy cigarettes (and bubble gum ones), a bubble gum cigar, a foot long taffy, some Chick-o-Sticks (my dad used to LOVE those) red hot toothpicks, and an Idaho Spud candy bar (which was NOT as good as I remember). Joseph wanted some Red Hots so I got those too. Next time I go over there I am buying the BIG Chick-O-Sticks and some Abba Zabbas;-)

Ah, memories.

Oh! The thrift shop! I found a whole bunch of teacher's pamphlets and posters from 1949 and 1950! They are so cool. The posters are both science related, and the booklets are something like *Everybody Likes Milk* I think I am going to frame and hang the posters. I love the graphics. One of the thrift shops was having an "every article of clothing $1.00" sale. I got a wool pea coat for a buck! (Like I NEED another coat) But hey, it was a dollar:-)

From the Inbox

Five surgeons are discussing who makes the best
patients to operate on.
The first surgeon says, "I like to see accountants on
my operation table
because when you open them up, everything inside is
numbered.

The second responds, "Yeah, but you should try
electricians! Everything inside
them is color coded.

The third one responds. "No, I really think
librarians are the best; everything inside
them is in alpabetical order.

The fourth responds, "You know, I like construction
workers. Those guys always
understand when you have a few parts left over at the
end, and when the job
takes longer than you said it would.

The fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed;
"you're all wrong. Politicians
are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no
heart, no balls, no brains and
no spine and the head and the butt are
interchangeable."

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey
Name:	Shelly
Birthday:	December 3
Birthplace:	Richmond, CA
Current Location:	Northern California
Eye Color:	hazel
Hair Color:	brown
Height:	5'7"
Right Handed or Left Handed:	ambidextrous
Your Heritage:	English, Irish, Scots, German, Indian
The Shoes You Wore Today:	UGG type boots
Your Weakness:	chocolate
Your Fears:	not ever seeing Kaya again
Your Perfect Pizza:	gourmet veggie from Round Table
Goal You Would Like To Achieve This Year:	lose 10 pounds, get organized
Your Most Overused Phrase On an instant messenger:
Thoughts First Waking Up:	Depends on what I have to do
Your Best Physical Feature:	Eyes
Your Bedtime:	11-12
Your Most Missed Memory:
Pepsi or Coke:	Pepsi
MacDonalds or Burger King:	neither
Single or Group Dates:	single
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea:	Lipton
Chocolate or Vanilla:	Chocolate
Cappuccino or Coffee:	Cappuccino
Do you Smoke:	no
Do you Swear:	like a sailor
Do you Sing:	Always
Do you Shower Daily:	yep
Have you Been in Love:	most definitely
Do you want to go to College:	yes
Do you want to get Married:	already am
Do you belive in yourself:	yes
Do you get Motion Sickness:	not usually
Do you think you are Attractive:	I'm not hideous
Are you a Health Freak:	not really
Do you get along with your Parents:	I did
Do you like Thunderstorms:	yes
Do you play an Instrument:	no
In the past month have you Drank Alcohol:	yes
In the past month have you Smoked:	no
In the past month have you been on Drugs:	no
In the past month have you gone on a Date:	yes
In the past month have you gone to a Mall:	yes
In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos:	no
In the past month have you eaten Sushi:	yes
In the past month have you been on Stage:	no
In the past month have you been Dumped:	no
In the past month have you gone Skinny Dipping:	no
In the past month have you Stolen Anything:	no
Ever been Drunk:	yes
Ever been called a Tease:	no
Ever been Beaten up:	no
Ever Shoplifted:	no
How do you want to Die:	a very old lady
What do you want to be when you Grow Up:	I don't know yet;)
What country would you most like to Visit:	England or Italy
In a Boy/Girl..
Favourite Eye Color:	Brown
Favourite Hair Color:	dark brown
Short or Long Hair:	in between
Height:	5'10 - 6'
Weight:	170
Best Clothing Style:	casual, classy
Number of Drugs I have taken:	2
Number of CDs I own:	100+`
Number of Piercings:	2
Number of Tattoos:	0
Number of things in my Past I Regret:	0
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Take a Chill Pill??

I was told to do that today on a forum.

I usually really get along with all these people, even when they start in about how horrible Christians are. The post that pissed me off today was one of those, but I was really surprised at who said it. I can't remember her exact wording, but it was something along the line of "Jew hating, anti homosexual, intolerant of any other religion Christians" There was more, but I can't recall it all. Anyway, I had enough of ALL Christians being lumped in together with the few intolerant ones, and I said so.

The poster told me to take a chill pill. Um, no fuck you. I mean no thank you.

It seems to me that Christianity is the new thing to bash, and it is perfectly ok. I know there are horrible examples of Christianity out there...Fred Phelps, Pat Robertson and others of that ilk. I really DON'T consider those people to be Christians.

There are horrible examples of LOTS of religions out there.

I guess it's ok to be intolerant, as long as you are intolerant against Christians now:/

*Disclaimer*

I am not a religious freak. Anyone who knows me knows this. I totally believe in live and let live. I usually ignore the crap, but for some reason, I just couldn't today.

Going To Philly

I'm making my first trip to Philadelphia later this month. I made my flight and hotel reservations last week. It is my best friend's birthday, and my friends ( www.raintribute.com) are playing at the Kimmel Center in Philly. Casey really wants me there for her birthday.

I am really excited. I have never been there before, and I hope I get so actually see some of the historical stuff while I am there. (History freak that I am) I REALLY want to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Independence Hall is only a half mile from the hotel, so it should be doable.


Today we made a trip to IKEA. Oh how I love that place;-) I picked up some stuff to get my home organized (HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) No, really, I will get it organized this year. Stop laughing.

I also picked up some of the Swedish Meatballs. Mmm Mmm good;-)

Happy New Year!

Here's to 2006. I wish you all health, happines and prosperity in the new year.

And To All A Good Night

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas:)

We did. Presents are all opened, trash is bagged up, dinner is now finished, and we are all relaxing.

Joseph was very surprised when *Santa* brought him a new bass guitar & amp. He had no idea. He really wanted an ipod but since they are sold out everywhere, and have been, we decided to get the bass. Now the child has two electric guitars, an acoustic, and acoustic 12 string and now a bass...not to mention 3 amps. My living room really looks like a studio. One of our goals this year is to turn one of the extra bedrooms into a music studio for him...and I will get my living room back, lol.

I really am glad he is a musician. It makes gift buying a lot easier. He also got a new case for one of his acoustics, a new pedal, music stand, and a mic and stand. He also got some clothes & DVDs (Live 8, Cream and Green Day) My sister got him an awesome world history book by National Geographic.

I got Chris a bunch of different tools, clothes and a new DVD player. He's fixing to put Radio on, since he got that in his stocking.

I was spoiled. I got a sewing machine, a cd player for my car, the new Beatles bigraphy, a new Tinkerbell watch, some jewelery and a couple of Nora Roberts books. I am also the owner of a diner. http://www.woodenduckshoppe.com/cart/images/items/ShellysDiner_55008.jpg
I have been wanting this ever since we first saw it at the Department 56 store at Downtown Disney. It is SO cool!

Tomorrow we are going up to Oregon to celebrate Christmas and Joseph's birthday (Tuesday) with the in laws. My baby boy is going to be 15 ! *Sniff*

Ho Ho Ho

Santa -- Santa is the symbol of the modern
Christmas celebration. A kindly old elf,
bringing gifts to children around the world on
one magical night. How he does it and who he is
remains a mystery, as well as fodder for old
and new tales alike. You hold onto the simple
childhood glee that comes from Christmas
traditions and reflect that delight with a
twinkle in your eye. Over the years, you've
never let those non-believers and


Which Christmas Icon Are You?
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Pie Time

2 down, three to go . I am doing my annual pie baking for Chris to take to work.
I love these things;-) I'll have to make another for us to have on Christmas. They are like a toll house cookie pie;)


Toll House Pie


2 eggs
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c. walnuts, chopped
1 (6 oz.) pkg. (1 c.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 (9-inch) pie shell (unbaked)
Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In large mixer bowl, beat eggs at high speed until foamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in flour, sugar and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in softened butter. Stir in walnuts and semi- sweet chocolate morsels. Pour into pie shell.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean, and top is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

I got to meet another online friend today:-)

L'Rae and her SO Dave are moving to Vancouver from Arizona, and we met in Old Sacramento when they drove through. L'Rae is just as wonderful in person as she is online...smart, articulate and funny. Dave is such a nice guy. You can see how much they love each other, and their son Tristan. What a cool kid! He came right up to me and introcuced homself. "I'm Tristan and I'm 4 years old"

L'Rae and I joke about being relatives (she calls me Aunt Shelly) and today when we met I got a surprise. She actually looks like one of my cousins! Joseph noticed it too. Too weird;-)

We ate at Joe's Crab Shack, which is right on the river. We were seated by the window, which thrilled Tristan no end. He loved looking out at the water and the boat docked below. We even saw a seal swimming in the middle of the river! It was so cool. It caught a fish and was throwing it up in the air. I wish I had thought to take a picture of it, but I (or Joseph, rather) did manage to get a few pictures. When I get the disc back I will post them:)

I am so glad we got to meet. I love meeting online friends:)

*Sniff*

My baby boy shaved for the first time today :*)

For those who don't have sons, its kind of like when your daughter starts her period.

He's becoming a man. He's growing up so fast...6 feet tall, curly hair and beautiful blue/gray eyes. *Sigh*

I am not ready for this.

Good news:)

Chris' eye is stable, and he didn't need any lasering today. He is to go back in 6 months.

Whew. He is so relieved, and so am I.

It's That Time of Year Again

It is getting busy around here. Two weeks ago we got Roy & Eleanor packed up and moved to Oregon, last week was our Disneyland trip, and Saturday was my birthday. We got our tree on Sunday, but I haven't even had a chance to decorate it! Whew;-)

I worked at Christmas Wish for a few hours today. Some of the wishes are just so sad. One little boy just wants clothes. I ended up taking his ornament and am going to go shopping for him tomorrow. He's 7 years old, and he wants clothes. Toys were way down on his list. I think I will go to Ross, and maybe I can get him a bunch of stuff:/

I ended up buying about 8 different Dora the Explorer dolls today too. Lots of girls have her on their wish list and so far there are very few donated.

The youth group performed for the women's club tonight for their Christmas dinner. They did a great job:) The mayor and his wife were there. They complimented the kids on their performance. Maybe the city will have them sing;-)

Tomorrow night Jo, Alicia and I are going to Chevy's to celebrate Jo and my birthdays.

Chris has an opthomologist appointment in the morning. I will take him because I'm sure he will have his eyes dilated, and most likely will need more lasering :(

And with that, I am going to pour a glass of chardonnay and relax for a bit before bed.

Oh, I almost forgot. I finally got my ornaments posted this morning. I 'm late! Don't kill me, Snapper;-)

Remember when I went to see Paul McCartney in Sacramento? I know you do;-) Remember when I said Joseph held up his sign and Paul agknowledged it? Anyway, this is from a review on maccareport.com (a McCartney website) "After "English Tea" Paul gave his "peradventure" word lesson. A fan held up a sign that said "Peradventure" to which Paul joked, "That is just one more example of how the word is sweeping the nation." " That has to be about Joseph's sign!

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. We got back from Oregon yesterday, after spending Thanksgiving with Chris' brother. It was the first time they had spent Thanksgivinng together since they were kids. I think they both enjoyed it. It was nice to relax after getting all Roy & Eleanor's stuff moved from Santa Cruz (with a stop home to drop off my 'new' china cabinet. Yay!)

We had to leave the Uhaul at bro's house for him to take over and unload tomorrow though:/ Someone at the title company screwed up and didn't transfer the funds Wednesday when they should have, so R&E couldn't move into their new house yet. *sigh*

Other than the moving snafu, it was a nice few days. I did a little Black Friday shopping there, and picked up a few of joseph's gifts, though not the big ones I wanted to. We brought nephew Charlie back down with us so he could drive back up in the Toyota Roy gave him. It has been at our house for a week or so...maybe 2. I can't remember anymore;-)

The kids at youth choir practiced this afternoon for a couple of hours. The women's club wants then to perform on December 7.

More photos:-) M i c k e y M o u s e
I *heart* Snow White

My baby is taller than I am! This was at Disneyland last month.
I hate how I photograph:/

Random Photos

Now that I have finally loaded some of our photo CDs onto the computer, and found out how easy posting them here, you may get sick of seeing pictures;) These are random photos from Joseph and my trip to Seattle this summer. Ballard Locks
Joseph "loitering" at Pikes Place Market

Paul...Finally

I know it's not a very good picture, but it was the best we could do with a smuggled camera/binocular set;) Joseph took it at Arco.


Both Paul shows were wonderful. Absolutely heavenly.

Last Monday (November 7) Casey and I went to San Jose to see him. Oh my God. It was the best.ever. We got there early, and found out where his hotel was (quite by accident, that.) We were driving back to the arena from having lunch downtown, and Casey looked over at this really quaint boutique hotel. Parked in front were 5 or 6 black Lexus SUVs, complete with drivers. Casey started screaming, "that's where he is f*cking staying, that's where he is f*cking staying!" We parked and walked back to the hotel, trying to act nonchalant. HA! We went inside and used the restroom (and scouted to make sure he wasn't just sitting there, LOL)

Outside, one of the drivers chatted me up a bit. he would walk by and say hello, etc. Finally he came over to me and told me Paul was late and they were waiting for his call. A few minutes after that, the fleet of Lexuses took off, so Casey and I went back to the arena. We stood by the entrance where we knew he would be driving in, and waited, sign in hand. As he came by, he rolled the window down, leaned out and gave us thumbs up, waved and said hi to us! I was like a little kid. I can believe Paul McCartney looked at ME and waved at ME. *Sigh*

The show itself was awesome. The price we paid for the scalper, er, "ticket broker" tickets was SO worth it. I felt like I could reach out and touch him. He could actually see us, and pointed out our sign:)

After having 2nd row tickets for San Jose, the tickets we had for Arco on Wednesday just wouldn't do;-) We managed to score floor tickets Wednesday night by walking up to the ticket window before the show. We were no where near as close as we were for san Jose, but it was still worth it! We made another sign, and he saw THAT one too, LOL. I had Joseph hold it, since he is taller;-) That sign said "Peradventure better seats for us?" Peradventure is a word he used in one of his new songs, and means maybe. Paul is very proud of that word, so we thought it would be worth a try. We didn't get any closer, but he did point at it and say "peradventure;-)" He also waved. Again, *sigh*

I felt like the 9 year old I was when I first was him on Ed Sullivan. I screamed, jumped up and down, and cried. When he sang Let It Be, I sobbed. when he sang Please, Please me, I cried and laughed. This past week or so has been incredible:)

Now, it's back to real life. *Sigh*

Thank goodness for wonderful memories:)

My father in law decided yesterday to drive from Medford, Oregon to Santa Cruz. It's normally about an 8 hour drive. Only problem is, he is 80 years old, has had multiple strokes and has memory loss. Oh, and he also has night blindness.

A little back story: The inlaws have found a place to live in Oregon, close to Steve and Roberta. Handy, since both of them are FNPs, and we live about 2-3 hours from Santa Cruz...too far in an emergency:/ Anyway, Steve had driven MIL down so she could get some things taken care of without FIL being underfoot. He was to stay with Steve & Roberta while she was gone. Saturday afternoon, he was 'supposedly' resting in his room, so Roberta went into her room to read a book, and fell asleep. When she woke up about 1:40, all she saw was a note from FIL that he was going home to Santa Cruz.

We all panicked. I am usually Pollyanna, but this time I was sure he had either taken a wrong turn and was headed off into god knows where, or had fallen asleep at the wheel & crashed, or, or, or....

This is a snippet of the email we got from MIL today: I thought that for my part I could check with the credit card companies and have some notion of where he was. NOTHING was charged. Today I asked him about it. He simply did not stop to eat or sleep. He stopped once at a gas station and got a cup of coffee and a candy bar. After that he simply peed on the car seat and kept driving. He did what we both thought was not possible - drive in the dark. He merged onto I-80 and kept going to the Bay Bridge and out to Highway 1, down the coast and home, all with only that one stop in Northern Cal. At 10:00 I was about to get into bed when I saw the light from a car coming into the park. I looked out the window and saw Roy parking the car perfectly between the lines out front. So I went out and gave him a warm welcome. We slept through the night, and today have alternated between forgetting about it and filling in the blanks. NEVER again!........

Roy's last prayer last night was: "Thank you, God, for saving me from myself." Amen to that.

His guardian angel HAD to be with him last night. I can think of no other explanation. There is so much that could have happened,especially with him driving down the coast. At night. That is a miserable road, and so many accidents happen at Devil's Slide, even during the day, but GOOD, ALERT drivers.

I don't know what we're going to do with him. He is so DAMN stubborn. He shoudn't be driving at ALL. That is what is so freakyabout the whole trip. He has been getting lost a few blocks from his house, and can't remember WHERE HE LIVES.

*sigh*

No wonder my hair is so fucking grey. If it weren't for Miss Clairol/L'Oreal, etc, I would be white haired:/

Speaking of.....the grey is gone, thanks to Revlon Medium Brown;) Can't have grey roots when I go see Paul McCartney tomorrow;-)

Happy Weekend:-)

We're outta here in a few.

It's a last minute weekend trip to Disneyland! We decided last night.
Joseph and I are on our way to pick Chris up at work, and off we go.

We'll be back Sunday.

I LOVE having annual passports, LOL.

Have a great weekend everyone!

As of yesterday, the US military death toll in the Iraqi war hit 2,000 :*( today it hit 2001. That doesn't even count the thousands of Iraqis killed...men, women and children.
2000 is a hell of a milestone, and one I'm afraid will go much higher.

There were candlelight vigils all across the country tonight http://www.afsc.org/default.htm

I was going to go, and found a couple within a half our or so of home ( although there were none here...) but by the time I got dinner finished and everything cleaned up, it was too late to go anywhere. So...Joseph and I held our own. We lit candles and stood in the front yard. Small and insignificant though it may have been, I felt we were lighting candles in the darkness...and it at least made me feel I was doing something. We had the boom box playing Imagine and Give Peace a Chance.


Smile for the day:
We went to Target today to get Halloween candy . Tonight when Chris got home, both Joseph and I were teasing him, so Chris asked if we had bought an attitude while we were shopping. Joseph said,"Yeah, Target had some on clearance, so we got a whole bunch"


My son the smart ass;-)

A party on Monday night? You bet;-)

I just got back from Karla's 50th birthday party. It was at Diana's house, and there were about 10 women there, plus Diana's husband Steve who did all the cooking and made pitchers of the best Cosmopolitans I have ever had;-)

It was so much fun. We all got dressed up. I don't dress up enough. I like feeling like a girl:) The food was wonderful, and the company was even better. There was a lot of girl power there;-) It is funny. I have known about half of these woman for a few years (some longer) but mostly through church related activites. Hoo boy.....I certainly saw a different side to some of them tonight, LOL.

Get a bunch of Catholic women together, serve them Cosmos and watch OUT, LOL. We even played party games. Now, I'm really not much for party games, but Diana is a great planner. We played a grown up version of pin the tail on the donkey....called pin the boobs on Karla;-) Diana WAS going to buy the long skinny balloons and play pin the dick on Clark, LOL. I learned a lot about her tonight;-) She may be a spiritual woman, but she has a wicked sence of humour. I like that;)

We all went together and got Karla a spa day. She has been though a lot in the past couple of years, with her husband doing what he did. She deserves a pampering:)

Happy Birthday to MIL Eleanor who is 74 today, to BIL Steve (aka Yehudi) who is 60 and to Paula who is 27;-) I was 27 once, about a hundred years ago, lol.

I got a phone call from D. Luckily she just got the voice mail...

*Sigh*

We were such good friends. She really is a kind soul, but she is so far out there that, well....I can't afford her, KWIM. Part of her phone call was griping about being dissed by some friends of mine, and why should they worry, after all, she is 'married' to two gorgeous men, and has a girlfriend. Hello? And holy crap. When she told me last year she was married, I thought she married the love bug, aka baby boy (young enough to be her son) Weeeeeel, apparently, she not only 'married' him, but also 'married' the kid who was renting a room from her. His name is Laci, but it sounds like Latte. I think he is Czech or Russian or something like that. I think he is about 23. The love bug is 29 or 30. She turned 50 in August. I wonder if she ever told them her age?

She told me that "Kimmy" is back in her life, and apparently they have a thing too. She also told me that one of her husbands is having a gallery show in January. She said it is too bad I'm not up there, because he id doing nudes and needs another model. I don't think so. Sorry.

Its all just to weird for me. When I met her, she was already a free spirit, but I think she has gone over the edge:( A mutual friend of ours told me in August that she has lost all her old friends....alienated them. I worry about her, but I have learned I can't take care of the world. I just hope she stays safe....

Youth group had the first donut sale of the year. We got to the church at 7 a.m., and had to wait almost 30 minutes for Jo to show up! I have a key to her office but couldn't get into the hall to get to her office:/ A couple of the kids showed up about 10 minutes after we did so we just waited. Joseph called Jo ( I was afraid she had forgotten!) and she said their gazebo blew over last night in the windstorm, and they had to put it back up.

Anyway, they all got there about 7:30, and Flo showed up with the donuts soon after. It was a busy morning. After paying for the donuts, we cleared almost $300, so it was a good day....and we ran out of donuts. That has never happened before. Those kids work their butts off. We got finished cleaning up about noon.

Joseph went over to Derek's afterwards, and Chris and I went out to lunch and to do a little shopping. We got Joseph a new pair of Vans (19.99), I got a pair of Emu boots (19.99) and Chris got some fake Birkenstoks for $8.00!

After we got home, I changed and left for youth group. we critiqued last weeks rally and talked about the LA trip, and another big rally we have in April. Chris did a little work around the house then he met me for Mass at 5:30. He left right after Mass to put the water on for tortellini. OMG, Costco has the BEST tortellini! Dinner was the aforementioned tortellini, a salad, garlic bread and black olives. It was oh so good;-)

That was my Sunday in a nutshell;-)

Back To Square One

Well, the in laws made an offer on a place in Oregon, near Steve and Roberta. It sounded perfect....in a Senior Park, only 5 minutes from Steve's house. What is it that is said about "too good to be true"? They got the inspection report back, and the place is a piece of shit. There is all kinds of stuff wrong, so they withdrew their offer:(

I don't know when the hell the move is going to happen now. There are a couple of other places they looked at, so their Oregon realtor is going to check them out. Will we have to take them back up for another look? Probably. Oh what fun. Not.

Chris has already told them that he will NOT drive a U Haul over the summit in the snow. *I* think they should just move up and find a place to rent, if they can't find the perfect place to buy yet. I am getting frustrated, and I know I shouldn't. BUT....we are basically putting all our plans (including a Disneyland trip) on hold until we find out when they are going to need us:/

HEALTH QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION

Q: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise.
Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.
___________________________

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
___________________________________

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: Well, hell NO, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine. That means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!
____________________________________

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have body fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc. ____________________________________ Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program? A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good

____________________________________

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!!. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

____________________________________

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
____________________________________

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO ..... Cocoa beans ... another vegetable!!! It's the best feel-good food around!

____________________________________

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

____________________________________

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Yes. And remember, 'Round' is a shape!

____________________________________

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
And remember: Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Champagne in one hand - strawberries in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO! What a Ride"!

From The Inbox

Ways To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity :

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses On, Point AHair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom, Don't Disguise Your Voice.

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, Ask If They Want FriesWith That.

4. Put Your Garbage Can On Your Desk, Label It "In".

5. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks. Once Everyone Has GottenOver Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch To Espresso.

6. In The Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write "For Over Charges".

7. Finish All Your sentences With "In Accordance With The Prophecy".

8. Don't Use Any Punctuation

9. As Often As Possible, Skip Rather Than Walk.

10. Order A Diet Water, Whenever You Go To Eat, With A Serious Face.

11. Specify That Your Drive-Through Order Is "To Go."

12. Sing Along At The Opera.

13. Go To A Poetry Recital, Ask Why The Poems Don't Rhyme.

14. Put Mosquito Netting Around Your Work Area, Play Tropical Sounds AllDay.

15. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friend You Can't Attend The PartyBecause You're Not In The Mood.

16. Have Your Co-workers Address You By Your Wrestling Name, RockBottom.

17. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream "I Won!, I Won"!!

18. When Leaving The Zoo, Start Running Towards The Parking Lot, Yelling"Run For Your Lives, They're Loose"!!

19. Tell Your Children Over Dinner. "Due To The Economy, We're Going ToHave To Let One Of You Go."

20. And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity.......Send This E-mail To Someone To Make Them Smile.

Its Called therapy.

You are Psalms.


Which book of the Bible are you?
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I am ready for bed;-)

The youth rally really turned out well. I know I was bugged about it, but I should have known it would all be all right. Oh me of little faith;-) The kids didn't use the video skit they had filmed, instead they did an impromptu skit that turned out amazingly well.

The speakers and the music were awesome. Michael Pritchard http://www.michaelpritchard.com/ was the keynote speaker, plus he spoke a couple of other times during the day, plus he ran one of our workshops. The man is awesome. That's all I can say. He connected so well with the teens, and he made me cry;-)

Our other workshop was called "can God be a sweaty DJ?" That was put on by this guy: http://www.vincenims.com/ Vince also sang for us. I wish I could remember the words to his song, I Like Bananas;-) He also sang a song he wrote about the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. I ended up buying his CD. He's another one who the teens absolutely love. Not only is he a good speaker and singer, but he is also a Beatles fan. I know he is good people now;-)

I only hope that when we are in charge of the rally (in 2 years) we can get speakers half as awesome as those 2.

The kids all had a great time. A great time. I think (know) they were all touched, and that they all came away with something positive. What more can you ask? (And Alyssa was sweet....she even gave me a hug and thanked me)

I know it had to be a good day. I used the word awesome 3 times in this post, lol.

Grrr.

Well, I finally just took my video camera up to Jo's so she could review and edit the film the kids made the other day.

First, Alyssa called and told Joseph they couldn't edit it (WTF?) so they are going to have to do something else tomorrow. She had an idea of a skit similar to Punk'd, called blessed, or something like that. Only problem is....the rally starts at 8 AM tomorrow morning...and how the hell are they going to practice? Joseph suggested they just do a couple of the songs they do so well, and she poo pooed that idea, saying "all the kids that are going need to participate." Hello?!?! All the kids that are going are in choir, so it would be no problem. If John and Joeph took their guitars, they could play while the others sing...

But wait, there's more!

Jo called later. She said that she didn't see anything wrong with the video, and didn't know why we couldn't use it, but that Alyssa didn't like it, therefore it won't be used. Again, she is letting her daughter run the whole show. I wish Jo would be the mother,and quit letting Alyssa run over her and everyone else:/ There are going to be some pissed off people tomorrow if the only reason they don't use the video is that princess isn't happy with it:/

I will be glad when this rally is over with. I was really looking forward to it. Now, not so much.


And she wonders why we are havig a hard time keeping yg members?

I'm glad I'm not the leader.

Just Breathe

So the big youth rally is Saturday. We film the skit the kids decided on, but there is NO ONE to edit it, and no one who knows what the hell to do now:/ I get an email tonight from the youth minister asking if the tv plug on the video camera is compatible with an LCD projector, because she JUST called the rally organiser TONIGHT and found out there will most likely not be a television there. Great planning:/

Soooooo, tomorrow morning I have to take the camera with all the cords to Best Buy and ask them. If it will work, I drop the camera off at Jo's so she can edit the film. If it won't work...well, I asked her if there is a back up plan. I guess the kids could do a live version of the skit, or maybe just sing a couple of songs. either way, it looks like my Friday will be spent either helping edit, or being at a rehearsal for a skit/song.


Then there is the saga of moving the inlaws to Oregon. After too many phone calls, I think we have it figured out. Chris will go down early Saturday morning, pick Roy & Eleanor up and drive them to Willows (about half way between here and Oregon) Steve and Roberta will meet him there and take R&E the rest of the way. They will stay for a week, looking for a place, and buying it outright if they find one. Either we reverse the process next saturday, or they may possibly just stay then. In any case, soon after that (probably the week after) Joseph and I will go spend a week in Santa Cruz to get their house all packed up, packing what they have marked and getting rid of the rest. Then Chris will rent a U Haul and we move their stuff up to Oregon. Oh what fun. Not.

The only thing keeping me semi sane through all this is the promise of Paul next month. Twice.

The kids at youth group are working on a skit for the big rally on Saturday.

Yesterday we spent 3 hours at the hall filming. I took the new video camera and let Heidi use it. I figured, she knows more about filming than I do, lol. I stayed out of it because it is the kids thing, but oh boy;-) I was getting a giggle out of Alyssa taking over and giving direction. Quite a bit of , ahem, 'creative differences' going on. I think they spent half of the 3 hours arguing;-)

When Joseph and Derek were finished with their part, they went outside. After a while, they got bored (Derek especially....that kid gets bored so fast, lol) First, Derek called my cell to ask for Joseph (who was sitting next to him), then they decided to call Alyssa and ask when it would be over. She didn't like that, so she hung up on Derek. He called her back. She hung up, and so on. I don't know why she didn't turn her phone off, but that isn't the point, really.

~A little backstory on Miss Alyssa.....I love her dearly. She is a funny kid, but she does have a major "my mom is the youth leader, so I should be special and get more privileges" attitude. I know it pisses some of the kids off, because they come complain to me:/ She also can be rude. Very rude...both to kids and adults. I guess because she talks to her mom the way she does (like she is the adult and mom is the child) she thinks it is acceptable to speak to others that way.~

Anyway, back to yesterday. apparently, the last time the hang up happened, she had been yelling at the boys for calling and bugging her and Derek told her that she was being a bitch. (which was true, lol) Now, instead of telling Derek to STFU or whatever (she is 17....they are 14) She marches over to where the adults were, and tells John and me "You need to talk to those boys, they are being disrespectful and calling obscenities. You need to punish them" Excuse me? A 17 year old doesn't tell an adult what they 'need' to do, or how to (or whether to) punish their kid:/ John went out to talk to the boys. He told them it wasn't appropriate behaviour and left it at that. I don't think Miss Alyssa thought that was enough, so she became just what Derek called her;-)

When we were getting ready to go, after cleaning/sweeping the hall, she gave me a horrid , hard look and said "We have to get out of here now. We have to hurry up. NOW" Now remember, she is 17. I am...older than 17. Much older. I just raised my eyebrow at her and continued what I was doing. If the girl wants bitch lessons, I can give them to her, LOL. I have had much more practice than she has;-)

As we were leaving the building, she reaches over to take the camera. She said "I'll take this home and my cousin can come over and edit it" Excuse me?? Sorry, but I am not handing my brand spanking new video camera over to a 17 y/o. First off, Chris would kill me. Second, she didn't ask. She demanded. I held onto the camera and told her we could get together at her house this week with Heidi, who shot the video, to edit.
I think the princess is pissed at me because I didn't acquiesce immediately to her wishes;-P

oh well.

I'm going to hear the woman (Heidi Kuhn) who founded this organization: http://www.rootsofpeace.org/home.htm speak this afternoon. I can't wait. It should be interesting:-)

Today was the first day of CCD for the year. I'm teaching 6th grade again. At least I know what I'm in for. I am thrilled...I only have nine kids in the class this year. I love small classes. I think we can do so much more. It is a more intimate class. Only one girl seemed hesitant, but when she discovered we aren't going to read the whole bible (6th grade is Bible stories/study), she felt a lot better. This is a quiet class. Of course, its only the first week, so maybe they will come out of their shells as the year goes on. I hope so.

Did you all watch Dancing With The Stars dance off? Did you vote for John O'Hurley??

I have such a crush on him;-) I could have seen him in Tahoe that night, if only I had gone to eat with Steve and Casey:/ I voted on line, and then called. Joseph wanted me to vote for the girl (he doesn't even know her name). I vote for her for the least dressed;-)

I clicked back and forth between Dancing With The Stars and Big Brother....even though I never got into BB this season as much as I did before. I just didn't like anyone one there. (especially Janelle. Yuck)

Yeah Yeah Yeah

Friday night Joseph and I went to the Lodi Grape festival. No I didn't go to see the exhibits, lol. My boys were playing. Derek came with his mom and dad. They all liked it. Now John & Kathy have some idea of what I talk about, lol. I introduced them to the guys while they were signing autographs. John told Joey "we're kinda fond of your tee shirt girl", and Joey turned around and grinned at me and said, "Yeah, we are too".

Ralpho was in rare form. He had me laughing all night.

Saturday night they did a benefit at Feather Falls Casino in Oroville. That was really nice. OMG, the spread of food backstage was yummy. Lots of Mexican food. Mmm Mmm good;-)
Every time I walked in, Ralph was telling me to eat. What is it with Italians and food anyway? "Eat something". Holy crap, I don't need to "eat something". My ass is big enough;-) Then there was the too. die. for. carrot cake that Joey decided he would share with me. It was so. damn. good.


Can I be jealous for just a minute? Please?
Steve and Casey are flying out Wednesday night to Philly. They are going to see Paul McCartney.....2 nights in a row. The first night they sit in the 17th row....and the second night in the SECOND ROW. Of course, they are paying a pretty penny for it. Second row to see Paul. OMFG. I don't know if I could handle being that close, seriously. He will make eye contact with them. Casey is going to wear one of her 'vegeterian' shirts. Maybe she'll get noticed, lol. She jokingly told me that if they get to meet him, she will call me and have him say hello. I think if my cell phone rings at all on Thursday or Friday, I will freak ;P Why yes, I am pathetic. I have had a thing for Paul McCartney since I was 9 years old. Do you have any idea how long that is???

She is trying to talk me into checking out ebay for tickets in the first few rows when he plays Seattle. I am so tempted.....after all, its only money, right?

MIL has congestive heart failure.

She has been taking care of FIL the past couple of years, since he had his first stroke, and hasn't been taking care of herself.

Her condition has deteriorated to the point that she is not strong enough for needed valve surgery. So...Chris will soon be driving them both up to Oregon where BIL and his wife live. They have a house directly round the corner from theirs, so they will be able to take care of both MIL & FIL (Both BIL and SIL are family nurse practitioners) We have been trying for more than a year to get them to move up there, but Eleanor has been resistant so far. She changed her mind last week while BIL was down to visit.

We think she is doing it now so Steve and Roberta will be there to take care of Roy when she dies. Right now, the house Steve & Roberta owns is occupied, so until the tenant moves out, R&E will be staying either with Steve & Roberta, or in a small apt.

MIL is not strong enough to pack much of anything (she gets winded walking across the room now...)

When we find out when Chris will be taking them, MIL will just pack some of their clothes and meds. Joseph and I will go down then and pack the rest of their house up. Chris will come back, get a U Haul and take what they need/want back up, and we will either donate the rest or have a yard sale.

*Sigh* Sometimes being a grown up is hard.

Wednesday Already?

And why is it called hump day? Do people have more sex on Wednesdays? (Ok, I really do know why its called that)

I am suffering from forum frustration. What used to be my home forum has become some alien place. There is a moratorium on any political talk....or anything that might become political. Seems some people can't take it. I guess there are too many F bombs (not MY word) being dropped for the more prudent among us. It sure isn't me. I swear like a sailor;-) Besides that, people are being meen. Sorry, but grow the fuck up already. (OMG I JUST DROPPED AN F BOMB) I say, if you don't like to debate, then don't by all means. If you don't want to get involved in a political discussion, then don't.

Luckily, I can say whatever I want here. My blog, my rules. I can say I think GWB is the biggest failure we have ever had as a president. I can say I hate him and I think he (along with Cheney) are 2 of the biggest evil assholes around. I can say I think he has fucked up beyond repair. I can also say that I can't believe there is still anyone around who honestly can still support him. I know there are...I see them every day here in vodkaville. I can also say I don't know how they can see with their head so far up their ass.

I wonder how long the fucked up rule will be in effect at that forum. *Sigh*


Poor Chris. Its almost 10 pm and he is still at work. He left at 6 this morning. No telling when he will get home. Apparently there is some kind of emergency. I haven't talked to him...Joseph did. I hope he gets home soon, so he can get some rest.

I saw a mountain lion on Friday. News at 11;-)


Chris and Joseph left Tuesday morning for Burney Falls, while I went to Tahoe for the last 2 nights of the Harrahs gig. Tuesday night was the party. It was lots of fun, and nice to relax. Wednesday I did nothing during the day. well, I did have to run to KMart (the only shopping in Tahoe:/) to buy a pillow for camping, because I forgot mine. After that though, I just vegged. It was so bloody nice. I sat by the pool with my book, read for a bit, then took a nap. After my nap, I showered, and went over to Harrahs for dinner, then into the showroom for closing night.

It was nice to get hugs from the Harrahs people. Donna and Anna are two of the nicest people I know. I have them to thank for always being in the front row;-)

Thursday morning I got up and drove to Burney. The weather was beautiful.

Now....onto the mountain lion sighting. Friday morning Chris and I went on a hike. There is a sign at the trail head warning about mountain lions. (We found out latrer they are a rarity to really be seen....) Anyway....we walk about a mile to the old cemetery. I hear a sound, and look across the trail. There, about 20 yards or so from me, is this mountain lion, climbing a tree. While it was beautiful to see, I told Chris "let's get the hell out of here". I think we made it back to the campground in about half the time it took us to walk out. I wish I had taken the camera though. It would have been so cool to get a photo.

We did tell the ranger about the sighting though.

Oops....time for Family Guy! Have a good week, everyone:-)

My name is Ivana B. Laid

http://www.blogthings.com/outrageousnamegenerator


I like that better than Allota Fagina;-)



School starts tomorrow. I now have a 9th grader. Joseph will be starting school under the trees as usual. He and Chris are going up to Burney Falls http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=455 . I am going to meet them on Thursday. They are doing a father/son thing for the first couple of days....kind of a rite of passage going into high school. Its a bonding thing. Swimming, fishing and hiking are on the agenda, along with math, language arts, social studies, science, Spanish and music. He has his schoolwork and lesson plan packed. I firmly believe it is much easier to get back into the swing of school days whilst sitting at a table under tall trees:) I also figure that Chris can handle the first 2 days of ninth grade, lol.

I have 2 days to myself before I go meet them...so I am going to Tahoe (surprise surprise) for closing night at Harrahs. Tomorrow night is the big closing party. It should be fun. I plan on sitting by the pool all day Wednesday and reading, then a light dinner and more reading, lol.

Have a good week everyone....and Denine, I'm praying for good results for you:)

We have a new associate pastor. I was EM tonight, so I was in the sacristy when he came in. He is a baby! I am officially old....when the priest is young enough to be my child, LOL. Fr. Humberto is from Puerto Rico, and is a very nice boy. He messed up a couple of times during mass....this was his first mass in English, and he would blush and smile. He is going to be popular with the girls, I can tell.

He wants to get involved with the youth group...which is good, since he looks like he belongs in the youth group;-)

We spoke after mass, and I introduced him to Joseph. He said he plays guitar too. He asked Joseph if he plays any Metallica songs....that is what HE plays. LOL....we now have a young, Metallica playing priest;-)