My birthday girl through the years....

Well, it's official....I am the mother of a 17 year old. I can't believe it! It seems as though just yesterday she was a baby. I went through my old photo albums and scanned a few pics in here....she was such a cute little girl....and now she is turning into a beautiful woman. I am so proud of her....

She is working this evening even though her boss said that she could have it off for her birthday. She is now officially a supervisor and did her first closing this weekend....all by herself. She has taken so well to this job and really does like it. This weekend she and a few of her close friends are going out to a movie together. Ahhhh, to be young again!

On a different note....Wednesday will be one year that she has held her learners permit....which means she is now eligible to get her liscense! Oh man....I am nervous! She is a good driver....but I'm still worried! LOL. I told her she is going to start out slowly, like driving to work when she has a day shift. She will also have to follow the six month rule....no passengers for six months.  I want her to realize that driving is serious business. Especially here where people drive like freaking MANIACS!

I have been weepy all day. If my life were a movie, today would have been full of flashbacks. I kept remembering when Betsy was a baby, how she loved playing with matchbox cars....moving a line of around 50 of them an inch at a time down the stairs for hours, talking on the phone with her little pre school friend for two hours at a time. When she got her first pair of glasses, sang in her first choir concert, had her first boyfriend. Marching in the 4th of July parade in Schererville then getting sick and spending two days in the hospital with a kidney infection. Basketball and middle school, hanging out with her best friend Melinda....moving to Florida and making new friends; she adapted so well.

I am just amazed that 17 years can go by in a blink of an eye. I would not, however, change a second of any of it. I love you my sweet Lasina Skids/Betsy....you are my JOY!

I went to Silver Springs and look who I found....

You know you are a Floridian when you hear there is a hurricane coming, yet continue with your plans to travel south for a day at the springs! We headed out this morning with little regard for the forecasts....and ended up having a spectacular day at Silver Springs in Ocala. We had never been there before and let me just say, the best time to visit these popular attractions is when heavy rain and gale force winds are bearing down (or up as in our case) upon you. We were the first (and last) in line for most rides and concessions. It did start to rain while we were on the glass bottom boat ride, however, by the time we docked it was over and the sun slowly but surely began to peek out from behind the clouds.

Of course the reason the day was especially fun was because of the people we were meeting there. Did you check the pics? If not, I'll wait....go ahead....lol. I suppose only the "old school" journal group will remember Mrscheesestix! She and her family were vacationing here in Florida and I wasn't going to miss the chance to meet up with her.

Have you ever met someone and felt like you had known them forever? I just can't tell you what a great time we had. She and her family were so sweet. The kids got along great....running to each exhibit, holding the snakes and alligators (those pics will be coming as soon as I get them developed....my batteries ran out half way through our day!), and asking for money to buy pop and souvineers. But even better than the kids getting along....the husbands did too! LOL. We women know what that can be like, when you have a great friend, plan a get together and then the hubbies don't like one another. Not in this case. They talked like old friends the entire time.

We got to the park just as it opened, and left fifteen minutes before it closed. We saw everything there was to see, except one final boat ride that we didn't have time for. Afterward we went to dinner and spent time visiting. It was great....like a big family gathering. Good food and great company. While we were eating the rains came in with a vengance. One minute we were sitting there commenting on how it looked like rain....and the next we were watching horizontal showers pelting the windows! Luckily it didn't last long, and by the time we were ready to leave it had stopped. I have to say, I am sorry that we only had one day to spend together!

It's funny how having started my journal on a whim, has led to friendships that are just as strong and meaningful as any made during everyday life (even moreso in this case!).

Right now I am absolutely exhausted and ready for bed....however I am waiting for Betsy to call so that I can pick her up from work. Maybe I should call her and have her whip up something to help energize me while bringing her home....mmmmm, sounds like a plan!

 

I won!!!!

Oh yes, I have hit it big in my daily laundry slots. Did you see that wad of cash? It just kept falling as I pulled out the clothes. The Snuggle gods were good to me today....I have a standing rule in my house. If you are over 13 years old and can't remember to empty your pockets, anything that is left behind in MY washer and dryer is MINE to keep. However....

As I was posting my picture Betsy came up behind me and said, "Did that come out of the dryer? I left my tip money in my pocket. How much was there?" Oh, sure, like I was going to fall for that....I asked her how much she lost....and she gave me the correct amount. *DAng (*to be read with Napoleon Dynamite inflection) I gave her a warning and then handed over the cash. I'm such a wuss. I should have at least kept a buck for my troubles....

We got our new mattress and box spring today. After I made the bed I called JB and told him that when he stopped at Lowes, to pick up a ladder so that we can actually get into the bed. Holy smokes that thing is huge! We have a new bed which was higher than our old one and I actually have to climb into it. I love it though. It looks....well....majestic. We will have to be very careful "breaking in" the new set....falling off this baby could result in broken appendages!

I decided to steam clean today. I did the computer room....which is why I am sitting on a most uncomfortable stool as I type this. The carpet is still damp, but looks pretty good. I just had to kick the dog out of here....he was christening it by rolling all around, getting fur everywhere. Freaking dog.

Well, my back has had just about all it can take sitting here. I don't know what to do tonight since my original plan was to take my winnings and go to Walgreens. Crud.

Tuesday....

+=

I think I may have set a record here....I spent $95 before 10:00 am. I would have been excited about this, had it been clothes or a new cleaning product (I am eyeing the new swiffer sweeper for the kitchen tile). However, I spent it on a $27.50 re-check appointment that grew to gigantic proportions when the vet decided to do an impromptu blood test....then she tells me to bring him back in two weeks for another recheck of his ears. I think not. If he isn't scratching....we aren't going! Sheesh....

I just let the dog in and in the process gouged a hunk of skin out of my foot on the metal door. I cursed rather loudly too. Man, that hurt. Other than that, there hasn't been anything really interesting going on. We had an extremely boring 4th of July. We spent it in the house doing nothing. Wait, I take that back....there were two consecutive Nanny 911's on which made for some fun tv viewing. From that I proceeded to watch an episode of Diagnosis Unknown (the wife was poisioning the husband....isn't that always the situation? I'm like, "stomach cramps that occur when the wife feeds him? Oh yeah, that's arsenic." You would think the doc's would know this by now!) and then on to an hour of How Clean Is Your House. I tell ya, there are some seriously sick people out there who live amongst rotted food and mouse poop....ewwww.

It started raining around 5 last night, so we decided to forego fighting the St. Augustine traffic and sitting amonst the mosquitoes to watch fireworks that may or may not happen. Everything here is so waterlogged....and there are two tropical storms waiting in the wings.

I'm rather blah today....not in a very good mood, so I should probably sign off....here's hoping tomorrow is a more cheerful day.

A quiet, rainy, then partly sunny day was had by all....

What a nice day I had with my family! I woke up to the aroma of a freshly brewed pot of coffee...yum. It was so good....I think it was a ploy to get me to cook though. I didn't mind however, and made eggs, sausage, hash and hashbrowns. After breakfast the girls gave me their gifts....I loved them all! JB then went outside to work on the tree house for a bit, and the girls cleaned up the kitchen....well, Betsy did 99% of it....I think wee one may have cleared her plate, lol.

Mom came over later and brought lunch....which we ate in the dark. It started storming and we lost electricity for about an hour or so. However, the food was just as good in the dark! After lunch I opened her gifts (cookie sheets, cooling racks....think she is trying to tell me something? I think I'll be baking cookies for her this week! LOL), and then we watched Napoleon Dynamite. She went home before that ended because her sciatica was hurting (I think she left because she didn't like the movie! LOL....just kidding mom.)

The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging about until I had to take Betsy to work, where she is until late. JB will be picking her up since it's my birthday....lol. Thanks honey! My aunt and uncle ended up coming over and bringing me a gift as well....which was unexpected. We chatted outside and wee one played with my uncle for a long time.

Now, I'm sitting here relaxing with a bag of cherries and wee one sitting next to me, waiting to instant message with her friend. I'm telling ya, I'm on here two seconds before these kids want to use it!

I just wanted to say thank you to all of the cards and birthday wishes I've received. It really, truly meant so much to me....I love my j-land friends!!!! ((((HUGS))))

Here it is, my very last entry....

Well folks, here it is....my last entry ever....

AS A 35 YEAR OLD WOMAN!!!!  LOL....

Tomorrow I will be 36. I'm on the downside of my 30's. I've checked my last 30-35 age-block box on magazine surveys. I started dating my husband when I was 18, which means I've been with him half of my life. 18 years ago I was pregnant and ready to pop with my first child....that seems impossible.

So what, you may ask, am I doing tonight on the eve of this oh-so-festive occasion? Well....I'm writing a journal entry whilst hubby dearest is at the pub with his friends from work, watching a race. LOL. The girls are in Betsy's room listening to music, and I'm waiting for the dryer to stop. You would think I'd be wined and dined tonight....however, it is dh who is noshing on hot wings and beer while I sit here with half a Nestle's crunch bar and ice water. That's okay though....I really don't mind. My desk is cozy with my dragonfly lamp, and my monitor is decorated with a clothespin hula girl and teddy bear that wee one made me earlier today. Betsy is home safe from work....it's all good.

We are having terrible rain here. People are being flooded out of their homes, roads are closed....it's crazy! Thank goodness things here on our street are okay. I've never seen so much rain since we have lived here. In one hour my mom emptied her rain gauge and it had 4 inches in it....I just heard on the news that the rain is supposed to be stopping and it's going to get hot. Mark my words, next week the grass will be crunchy and you won't know this ever happened!

We don't have nay plans for the 4th this year....not that we ever do. No picnic's, no fireworks bought....just relaxing at home. Last year we went to St. Augustine and parked on the outskirts of town. We could see the fireworks really well from there. After all this rain I can only imagine the bugs this year....

Ahhhh, there it is....the incessant buzzing of my dryer. I am off to fold clothes....until tomorrow....

 

A firm decision has been made....

Tonight dh and I went out and bought ourselves a little something....since we have thouroughly worn out our old mattress, we took advantage of a 4th of July sale and bought a new mattress/box spring set! Now, before you go high fiving John and "Oh, you little minx"-ing me....it is worn out because we have had it for 16 years. Yeah....no exciting reasons behind the need for a new one. Although, I'm not saying it hasn't seen it's share of fun times....lol.

I'm so excited though. We went through the store and laid on several different models (of beds....not actual human models....although that would have made the experience a lot more fun!). They will be delivering our new set on Wednesday....and taking away "old faithful".

We also went out for a quick bite with my mom and Betsy. We went to a restaurant called Mama Fu's. The menu consists of Asian cuisine....pot stickers and such. Let me just say this....do not ever go there. It was HORRIBLE. I should have taken my money and thrown it out the car window....at least then it would have the chance of making someone happy! I can't tell you how bad the food was....yuck.

Wee one had quite a day. She started out at VBS, went to her friend's house and swam until 4:30, then headed to the carnival that concluded the VBS program. She got home around 8:00. The kid is exhausted! She had such a good time though. She wore the t-shirt they made which says Jesus and has an American flag on it. It is so cute! She came in, held it up and said, "Papa would be so proud of me!" Awwwww, he sure would have been! I am so glad she had such a good time this week.

I should get my butt to bed, as Betsy has the morning shift tomorrow. Night all....