Such a Busy Life

I know, I know...it has been a while since my last post. I actually wish I could say that I have been too busy to post. Well, I have been busy, but not enough to use as an excuse.

The kids only have 3 days of school left...we are all so very excited about that. This means I don't have to pack any more lunches for almost 3 months. I absolutely hate to pack lunches. Jared is going to start running Cross Country for 7th grade in July. I think he will do well if he stays with it. Emily will be trying out for Volleyball for the 3rd year in a row, let's pray she makes it this year. If not, God love her for her perseverance.

Larry had been laid off for a week so far. In that week, he has cut the grass...well, that's it, he has cut the grass. Okay, I'll let him off the hook since he was sick for 4 of those days. He also cut the grass at my cousins lake house too...that took him 3 hours.

I have also been sick...Larry and I both had some upper respiratory thing going on...still lingering around. So, every time I cough, I pee a little bit. I know...TMI (as my kids would say).

This weekend we are having a garage sale...I am actually sitting at it right now. Haven't been to busy today, but did well yesterday. Then, after I planned our sale, we got a flier in our paper box Wednesday that our neighborhood is having their annual garage sale next weekend. I was waiting to hear about it, but never did. So, I think I might just leave my stuff up for the week and open again next Friday...at least for one day to see how that goes.

Well, until next time, let's hope it's not so long between posts...I will be busy laying in the pool, catching some sun...anyone can come join us anytime.

Time Well Spent

Last weekend was my time away with my besties and my favorite cousins. We went to A Crop for All Seasons...a scrapbook retreat at a bed and breakfast in Norwalk, Ohio. The facility was very nice...a bit warm, but very pretty. And the food...OH MY GOSH...absolutely to die for. We ate so good, the food was so delicious. If I could have one thing in life, (besides more money), I would want someone to cook for me and my family the way we ate last weekend.

It was nice to spend time with everyone again...even though I didn't get to sit next to Emily. The laughter was abundant, and the scrapbooking was plentiful. I did get a lot done. It's always worth going away just to get stuff caught up on.

Can't wait to do it again!

Cavaliers Game

Saturday March 7th brought us another day at the Cavaliers game. Larry, Jared, his friend JD and I went to the game. The game was really good...never once were the Cavs behind in the game. The boys really had a good time. Even though they had a guy next to them...he was probably in his late 20's who was trying to fix them up with some girls in the next section that were a bit to old for them. This guy...he had a bit to drink, but he was really nice to the boys. He talked to them about sports and school and the game. They pretty much missed the entire 3rd quarter of the game talking to him. At the end of the game, his wife was really apologetic for him, but he truly was fine. (and good looking too!)

Here are a few pictures from the game...
This is the actual view from our seats. We were 3 rows from the top of the arena. I did not know that's how high they were when we got the tickets. We have never sat that high. And let me tell you, I was a bit afraid when I had to walk down the steps. Jared said he thought they were the best seats because he was able to see everything from above. That is what it felt like, we were sitting above the court. Maybe next time we will get seats on the jumbo-tron. I think they can actually fit a few chairs up there.

A few pictures of Jared and JD...

They bought matching hats and foam fingers.

The boys laughed the whole way home...it is always fun to listen to kids in the back of the car when they are talking and goofing around. It probably didn't help that we stopped half way home and they got a bottle of orange crush and a candy bar. Just what they needed...more sugar.

Until next time...

Meetings, Breakfast and Slumdog

For being unemployed, I sure did have a busy week this week. Monday night I attended the Founder's Day dinner for PTA. It was @ the Fifth Season banquet center, and the food was delicious. The best part was the PTA mom who came dressed in a corset and short, and I mean short, netty kind of skirt. I really felt under dressed. And, she sat right next to the principal. I wondered why he didn't stand up all night.

Then on Tuesday, Emily and I had a meeting for Freshman scheduling. I cannot believe she is going to be a freshman already. She is taking a packed schedule, including honors social studies. She is really excited, and I am really NOT.

Wednesday afternoon brought another PTA meeting, this time for the Arts and Science Fair to be held in April.

Thursday, I picked up my Aunt Diana and went to breakfast and to the bookstore to find another good book to read. She recently lost my uncle, but she has been keeping herself busy. I was lucky to get a few hours of her time! It was nice to spend time with her.

Thursday night, I had a meeting at the kids school for the Ohio Achievement Testing to be held in April. I thought I could get a few tips for Jared to have a little bit of an easier time testing so maybe he will be able to pass this year. I did get some really good websites that he can do some practice tests on. If anyone needs them, just let me know.

Today was the last of the busy week. I babysat little Emma for awhile, then Larry, Emily and I went for fish. I don't know why I love fish so much more during Lent. It was really good too.
After dinner, my neighbor Barb and I went to the movies to see Slumdog Millionaire. It was so good. Now I know why it has received so many awards. I highly recommend anyone who hasn't seen it to go.

Tomorrow I am meeting up with NotYourAverageJenn in town at the bookstore to hang out for a little bit. It is one of our favorite places to go. We both love to read and exchange books with each other. She is also lending me her camera so I can take pictures at Frank Ohl Intermediate School next week for their talent show. And my kids don't even go to that school anymore. Some day I will learn at say NO.

Well, until next time...

All of the Rumors

So, as many of you know, General Motors is laying of even more employees in April. Our plant in Lordstown is going down to one shift. Larry still isn't sure if he is safe. They haven't announced the "cut off" date. Meaning, if you were hired by a certain date, you will probably be safe. Larry's hire date is 3.30.95. All we are doing now is praying that he will continue to work. I can't imagine things getting any worse than they are right now. He did go back to work this week (a week before all of the other people on the line). He is a coordinator and they are supposed to be reconfiguring the line and combining jobs, but yesterday, he said they did absolutely nothing. Way to go GM...pay them to just stand around and do nothing when you are trying to save money. Sounds like a swell idea to me!

On another note, I started babysitting for my friend Kelli yesterday. I will continue to do so 1 or 2 days a week. Her baby, Emma is 5 months old. She is so stinkin' cute. And such a good baby.

I also go this Thursday for my federal and state background check so I can be a para-professional sub in the Austintown School system. Once I am approved by the board, I can sub as an aid or even in the cafeteria at any of our schools. I am hoping I can work a few days a week.

I also wanted to congratulate AbsolutelyFelicious for getting her new job at Lake County Children and Family Services (I hope that is right). Her first day was yesterday. I hope it went well being the "new girl", and I hope you didn't have to eat lunch in your car or by yourself!

Well, keep us in your prayers.

Until next time...(and I hope it's with good news)

A Time to Laugh, A Time to Cry

This weekend was a very busy, emotional weekend. My Uncle Tony passed away on Thursday after a long time of being sick. He was 71 years old. He was my godfather as well. We spent a lot of time with my Aunt Diana and my cousins over the past several days. Two of those days of which we made five, yes count them, five, photo boards of pictures of Uncle Tony from when he was a small boy until just recently. There we tears shed while we were looking at gobs and gobs and gobs of photos. They were tears of sadness and tears from laughter. Gina, Celeste, Aunt Diana and I laughed until we cried more than once. Looking at the old pictures where the funniest. The ones of the boys...Celeste thought they were having an identity crisis...some of them looked a bit feminine. Then there was her husband Jack with him "man perm", and the one of Anthony with "man boobs". The best one was of Anthony's birthday when he turned either 5 or 6 and we couldn't figure out who the other kid was in the picture. Well, it turned out to be me! My parents always had my hair really short, and I couldn't even tell myself in the picture. This long process helped me to make the decision that I do not want photo boards at my funeral. Looking at the old pictures and reminiscing was great, but I don't want anyone to have to do a collage of my life.

So, things will get back to normal for my family soon, Uncle Tony will be missed a lot, but he is in such a better place. And some day all of us will meet again. So in the mean time, wake up in the morning with no regrets, love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't, and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.

Until next time...

Well, that sucks

Yes, it really does suck! Today, NYAJ, absolutelyfelicious, my cousin Emily and I were supposed to go to Archivers in Fairlawn to scrapbook for the day. Well, it was canceled due to the snow that has piled up since yesterday. Actually, they closed the store @ 1pm due to the weather. On Friday, we were all still planning on going, because we never get the amount of snow that they say we are going to get, well, this time, I think we got more. And according to The Weather Channel on my iPod touch, we are having a winter weather warning!

So, now my goal for today is to upload all of my recent pictures to Shutterfly and scrapbook the rest of the day. It is now 2:39pm and I haven't even started. That is typical for my day. I did start making homemade chicken noodle soup though.

Emily and her friends, Sami and Megan were outside for awhile and played in the snow and even took a walk in the woods up to the park and back. It is actually a beautiful day out...if you don't have to drive in it. Larry did have to go to his parents and bring in wood from the garage for them and he said even the main roads are bad...and he loves to drive in the snow.

Well, off to get something done....

Back to Real Life

So today the kids finally went back to school after being off for a long Christmas vacation. Emily was glad to go back, but Jared wasn't so thrilled. As soon as he walked in the door after school he said he didn't like school...because he got a lot of homework on his first day back. Sorry Jared, that is the way it goes when you are in sixth grade.

Larry and I took down all of our Christmas decorations today. I never let them up this long, but since we were away for a few days, it put us a few days behind. I love decorating for Christmas, but when it is all taken down, that is a great feeling too.

Larry if off for most of the month due to the General Motors layoff. I told him that we can either get a lot of things done while he is off or he is going to drive me nuts because we will be spending so much time together. So, check back at the end of the month to check on his status! I think he will survive.

Well, I'm off to make chicken quasadillias and rice for dinner.

Our Recent Visit

We just got back a few hours ago from Cincinnati. We were there visiting my big brother, Raymond, my sister-in-law, Danyal, and my niece, Rachelle. We got there around 4:30 Friday after a 4 1/2 hour drive with our 22 pound dog, Jack riding on my lap the ENTIRE time. The ride did seem to go rather quickly. The weather was nice and the sun was shinning part of the way there. This is to be expected since we live in Ohio...mostly gray skies!!

Once we got there Raymond made us dinner, some delicious pi aha with chicken, shrimp, sausage, and mussels. It was really good, except for the mussels...sorry Ray, but yuck. Thanks for a good dinner though. We had an enjoyable night just catching up and having our Christmas together. Thanks for all of the presents. Emily and Rachelle got to spend a lot of time together. They were mostly on their own computers, but they were in the same room holding conversation at the same time.

Breakfast was good too...Danyal made us pancakes and eggs...yes, you eat them together...first a pancake, then an over easy egg, then another pancake, and you top it with syrup. I have never had that either. My dad used to eat it like that, but I always thought it looked gross. But let me tell you, OMG, it was so good. I can't wait to make it at home. Yes, you too can try this at home!!

The ride home today was a bit longer than getting there. We stopped a few more times to let the dog out. And of course we had to stop in Columbus so we could go to my favorite scrapbook store in Polaris, Scrapbook Art. I had to twist Larry's arm a bit to take me there, but he finally gave in. I got some good stuff, I just hated to pay full price for it.

Now it is time to get ready for bed. None of us slept well last night. I don't sleep well when I'm not at home, plus Jack was very restless and was growling and barking at something part of the night.

Tomorrow, we are off to see "High School Musical" on ice. Emily and I along with her 2 best friends and their moms and Jared and his "friend", Alyssa. I'll let you know how it was.

Until then...