completely meaningless...

Thanks to my blog-friend Junebug, she inspired me to blog about everyday occurrences. I've got lots of those. Really too many to mention. But here goes..
OK, so some of you know I had the Lasik procedure on my eyes last Friday. Greatest thing since sliced bread. Really. And I'm weird..really weird about my eyes, but I'd do it again tomorrow. I mean, who knew there were individual leaves on trees. It's a miracle!
Also, not news to anyone that I miss my husband tremendously. But hey, we're almost at the half way mark. If you've argued with your husband today, go directly and apologize (even if you were not at fault) Life is too short for that little stuff.
I unstopped the upstairs tub last week. Huge sense of accomplishment for me. I will however need some help (I think!) getting the Christmas tree out of the attic when the time comes. He would croak if he knew I was not putting up a real tree. Just can't so that by myself..unless of course someone would like to help with that as well..
My tire pressure light has been on in the car now for a week or so. Never done air in the tires before. I know, I know...if I can unstop a tub, I can do that... I'll get around to it.
I've been cooking lately. ALOT. Anybody need some good recipes? I'm your girl.
Cleaned out all my pots and flower beds today in preparation for this weekend. Putting out pansies, kale and mums....oh and pine straw.. My eye doctor has instructed me to wear protective goggles. I don't even know what to say about that. Anyhoo..
What's up with the Silly/Animal Bandz?????????? Oh my word..they are like gold in Madison. I offered to let Hannah wear all the rubber jelly bracelets we got to wear to an 80's party not long ago and I got THE LOOK. "Not the same Mom." So, yes, I trekked around looking for someone who had some left...finally found some...I think I heard the Hallelujah chorus play when she cracked the package open.
I bought myself some fresh flowers and arranged them on my kitchen table last week. It made me feel really good.
I think I'm addicted to the sushi at Kroger. The sushi maker, I'm pretty sure doesn't speak any English, but he knows why I come and what kind I like.
Anybody seen Stepfather at the theater? I REALLY want to. We have been into watching some scary stuff lately!
I could see how I could carry on this way for quite a while but I won't. Thanks Junebug for the push!!

shots from the past 4 weeks..

Have you ever seen such good looking boys??

Hannah and I at the Ole Miss game on Saturday.
Girls Nite Out at Germantown Middle School
My sweet hubby... yeah, the media doesn't show pictures like this.
OR this...this is how a mission begins.

drum roll please....

I'm seriously considering calling this blog quits. What'cha think? I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted. I've had plenty of things to post on...just won't take the time to sit down and do it. If anyone has ever seen the movie "Groundhog Day" with Bill Murray...that would be my life right now....and I'm only about 1/4 way through this deployment...that's not a good sign folks.
Just to tide all 3 of you over..until I can come up with something to blog about...here's some pics from the past few weeks..

rules are made to be broken..

..Some would say. I must say that I got a nice laugh out of reading Hannah's elementary handbook. I know it's been a few years since I've been in elementary school. Wonder what it would've been like to have a time machine and travel to the future back then and read this handbook..I'm sure most of us would be very confused at reading today's rules. I won't go over every single one..cause there's ALOT of them..but I will touch on a few highlights that are my personal favorites.

Hair and body should be free from obnoxious odors. (that speaks for itself)
Shoes, sandals, or boots shall be worn at all times with shoes being laced and tied. No cleats or slippers, and no shoes with wheels. (do kids actually wear slippers to school?)
Appropriate underclothing should be worn. No clothing considered and designed as an undergarment should be worn on the outside of clothing. (I mean, really? That ruins Hannah's outfit for tomorrow!)
Picks, combs, rollers and other styling devices shall not be worn in hair. (I'm wondering what "other styling devices" is...)
Unless prescribed for medical reasons, sunglasses are not to be worn inside of the building. (so Michael Jackson's brothers all had on shades for medical reasons at his memorial service??)
Young men shall not be permitted to wear earrings or conceal the earrings with a Band-aid or any other material. Neither males nor females shall wear rings or studs in their noses, tongues, or other body parts. (Shoot!)
Biking shorts shall not be worn..(where did that come from? don't know any kid that has ever wanted to wear biking shorts to school..)
Males are not permitted to wear skirts and/or garments traditionally designed to be worn by females. (ok..this one worries me..)
Elementary students are not allowed to wear make up. (YAY!!!!! the only rule that really applies to us!! and I can just blame it on the rule book!)

I read these to Hannah tonight and we got a good laugh. I think we laughed more at the fact that if nobody had ever done any of these things..it wouldn't be a rule. I believe it's going to be a good school year!! Let's roll!

Winding down

I guess that's what we've been doing the past week or so..winding down before school starts. I got this cute little picture today of Hannah and neighborhood peeps enjoying an entire, yes ENTIRE watermelon..This was only the first helping. The rest of the slices were gone within about 30 minutes....and it wasn't a small watermelon! The little kids were so cute afterwards...that's what I needed a close up shot of..pink tinged, sticky,dirty faces. I didn't have the heart to wipe them up...just too stinkin' cute!

I looked back this time last year on the blog and we were packing up and moving into this house. Can hardly believe it's been a year..so much has happened..just really now getting settled..FINALLY getting some things done..picked out paint, had a couple of built ins done in Hannah's room. Can't wait til it's all done! I think I purposely waited so I'd have something to occupy my time while Drew is gone..By the way, we're 1/4 way through deployment. In some ways, it's going quickly..but then there's those nights when I think...is it really just August? Next May is forever! I mean really..we've got birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Valentines, not to mention just the regular ole run of the mill days...(sigh) But enough about that.

Hannah is excited about her new school..we took advantage of the tax free days and got school clothes for the first time. She's most excited about getting to wear "regular" clothes to school this year. I must admit, it was a little fun picking out some outfits. She has it all planned out what she's wearing the first day. It made me remember how I use to do the same exact thing. She's so brave..I would be a nervous wreck walking into a brand new school in the 5th grade. Guess it's better than 6th or anything above that...That would really be brutal.

The boys are juniors and excited about that. They both are in football and Matthew is first string. Scares me really. I hate to see them with guys piled on top of them. Drew tells him, "Make sure they know who you are when you get up off the ground.." Whatever that means... Andrew is in Wave Connection at Tupelo High and loves it...that's the awesome show choir..one of the best in the nation..gets made fun of tremendously by his brother, but that just fuels the fire. They will be fun to watch this year. So glad Drew will be back for their senior year.

I would say I can't wait to get started on painting the house, but it's not one of my favorite things to do. Colors are whole wheat, rye grass and mandarin. What'cha think?

our current situation

So this has been the situation for what seems like quite sometime now..We are being held prisoner in our own house by sparrows that have decided to build a condo right outside the front door. One day it wasn't there and the next day..boom, there it was..this mud and straw nest with eggs in it. I know this because Andrew got on a ladder to see if anything was in it a few weeks ago. When we go out the front door, which is quite often and daily, these parents will take your head off. Not just as you come out the door, but they will follow you halfway down the street letting you know how much they dislike you invading their space. Not only is it the parents, but 2 or 3 more...aunts and uncles I presume..but they are NOT happy with us. When we got back from NOLA, it happened..the babies had arrived and the family was out to get us with a vengeance. I probably really should explain to my neighbors why I am waving a broom around every time I come out the front door. Today, a baby had fallen out of the nest and was lying directly by the door. From my dads instruction, I gloved up and got a ladder (while Hannah stood in the driveway and waved the trusty broom) and very gently dumped the baby back over into the nest. I keep checking on it..through the blinds of course..and lo and behold if it is not up sitting on the edge of the nest like it could tumble out again any second...Hate to break it to the birdie..it may just be on it's own this next time it falls...Then again, maybe it's "falling" on purpose. I have fallen many times and God always continues to gently pick me back up and put me in the nest. Isn't that what a parent is supposed to do?

Here's the maniac sparrows...
And all had fun at Camp Wesley Pines this week!! So glad to have my baby home!!
Thanks for praying for us and for Drew. He made it safely out of Kuwait this week and into Iraq. Continue to keep him in your prayers. It's hot and it's dusty, not to mention 115 degrees (not counting the heat index) Psalm 91 will come into play now!!

are we there yet?

...that questions was asked many times over the past 4 days. I even caught me asking myself the same question too. Hannah and I took the train to New Orleans for my 40th birthday...there I said it..40th birthday. I miss Drew more than I can explain. He always makes my birthday so special...makes me feel like a little girl again..waiting on a cake or a special surprise.

We watched the most awesome fireworks show from the riverwalk....the Dueling Barges fireworks extravaganza!! There were several bands that we listened to...did ALOT of people watching..one of my favorite pastimes..

I lost count of how many beignets we ate and how much we laughed at each other while we ate them. We just about had to change clothes each time we ate them from all of the powdered sugar. Too bad I don't have any pictures of that..

one of MANY self portraits we took of ourselves over the weekend. We found that they are really the best ones!!!

Had to eat at Bubba Gump Shrimp..It was probably the best place we ate at I think! Not to mention it happens to be our favorite movie of all times. Hannah even asked me while we were eating there..."Mama, is Forrest Gump a true story??" Seems like it could be huh?