Weekly Wrap-up - October 4

Hannah left to go home this week. I started putting the house "back in order" this weekend, but I really miss all the crafty stuff in my living room and my BFF cousin hanging out to talk to and watch trashy reality TV with. I do, however, think that Lucky is happy to have her pillows back on the hearth. She has laid there so much since I got it put back together.


John was still in Austin working for the State Guard this week. He loves being down there. Maybe some day they will have the budget to hire him full-time.  On Saturday, they had the change of command and John was glad to be there for that. General Rodriguez actually gave him a shout-out in his farewell speech for his work on the toy drive.

After the Changing of Command, John was coined by the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Texas Military Forces.

Jacob had two tests this week - he now has a 104% in his history class. (It's a history professor, not a math professor LOL!) After a rough start in his online web programming class, he got an 88.5% on that test. He had some problems doing the online class where all you do is learn out of a book (like his father, he is a visual, hands-on learner) so I am tutoring him, means I am learning HTML code, too. Watch out people - I may just start designing websites. (Who am I kidding? When would I actually have time for that??)


We got a wonderful thunderstorm on Thursday. Ok,  not so wonderful for the person in Frisco whose house caught on fire because of lightning, but wonderful because September was one of the driest in history and we're already in a drought with Stage 3 water restrictions. I was at work at SLA in my little office in the center of the office (no windows). Larry and Amy were out so their doors closed and I didn't even know it was raining! I saw an FB post by my friend Brenda where she had videoed the storm at her house. I hurriedly opened Amy's door and it was SO dark - seemed almost like night. I stood at her window and watched the golfers try to get undercover, the rain come down in sheets, and the trees blow like crazy. I had watered our backyard tree the night before. The last time I watered the tree it also rained. Looks like there is no raindance at my house - just water the tree.





John was at the Austin mall on Saturday and saw this site. Please Dillards, let us get past Halloween before the Christmas decorations go up!!!






We ended the week with a very special event. Janice Scott was the librarian at Jacob's elementary school (Curtsinger). She is one of the sweetest, most gentle ladies I know. He absolutely adored her and I know that is where his love of reading was really sparked. This year Frisco ISD opened Janice Stahley Scott Elementary School!

 Jacob and Ms. Scott

Jacob and Ms. Boyce

We went to the dedication today and saw so many of my old Curtsinger buddies and some of Jacob's old teachers, as well as his principal Debbie Boyce (couldn't ever be a better one!). It was a very nice ceremony, and never the one to crave the spotlight, in true Janice Scott fashion, she was humble and praised the students and staff of the school as well as recognizing a gentleman who was there who had served at the Battle of the Bulge (90 years old). We toured the school, visited with people, and were amazed at the size and the technology. Not surprisingly, the book fair groupies Renee (and her all-grown-up kids Kate and Tony), Jenny, Kathy, Margaret, and me pretty much made a beeline to library where we visited and expounded on how huge and nice the library was. As Jacob would see things, he would say "back in my day..." (i.e. "Back in my day we didn't have projectors in the ceiling - our teachers wrote on those plastic sheets that were on those projector machines that you had to keep focusing." "Back in my day, we didn't have big flat screen TVs that they could do presentations on." "Back in my day, the computer lab was in the middle of a pod, not in a class of its own.") It was a nice day and made me realize how much I miss the times back at Curtsinger. But time moves on and seasons change so we just need to feel blessed with the life that we lead today.

Weekly Wrap Up - September 28

Best news of the week - Mom got out of the hospital on Tuesday and is feeling much better. Their little doxie Sandy was very excited that she was home! (Dad said hyperactive Sandy just moped around while mom was gone.)

Back in Texas, us gals went out for Bingo on Wednesday night. Kim was the big winner with a $500 pot on the pull tab Bingo, but we had a fun time anyway. Not much time for socializing while the games are going on (they move fast!) but the ride there, the ride back (Elizabeth and I did our pumpkin trip and stayed for only the first session) and lengthy at-home visit with E were great. Also so good to see Kim and Tracy since we haven't been getting together much lately. Even Shawn "Red" was there so I could say hi. We will definitely go back. Won't be regular weekly players, though, since it's a bit of a haul to the place, but it was well organized, easy to find, non-smoking, and just a fun time. (And now I have my very own dauber!)

Since it was drill weekend and John was still in Austin, we took Jacob down for drill and enjoyed a weekend vacation. Hannah stayed to go along and we went to the Pecan Street Art Festival. There were several fun vendors, lots of food to choose from (fried gator, pie pan shrimp, snow cones, corn dogs, funnel cakes, etc.), and lots of the "weird" that is Austin.

Hannah never meets a stranger.
This guy had very cool art from car parts, propane tanks, etc.

It was a king-size corn dog for me for lunch! 

Of course, the first few bites burnt the roof of my mouth, but it was still yummy!

A group was marching around with American Flags and guns. Very respectful and very peaceful. Behind them marched a TOPLESS older lady chanting "More boobs, less guns on 6th Street." (Picture was taken but not sharing that one on my blog LOL!) One guy looked her up and down and said "More guns!" Love that we live in America where each side can show their support in peaceful protest. :-)

That evening, we picked up Tasha (daughter of a good friend - attending UT) and her roommate and we went for dinner. John and the girls had gone to hopdoddy previously and he said it was really good. We decided to give it a try. We pulled up, saw the line and the girls said it was "a short line." Really? This is short? EEK! We did it anyway and it was worth the wait. While in line, they took orders for shakes for us and WOW was my shake (Carmel & Sea Salt) awesome! Jacob got chocolate (shocker!) which was probably one of the best chocolate shakes I've ever tasted, Hannah got the nutella & chocolate pretzels - quite good. John got the raspberry & white chocolate - not bad but my least favorite.

We stayed at the Travelodge that John stays at when he does not stay on Camp Mabry. The room is huge - two queen beds plus a couch that folds out. 

Not sure what Jacob's deal is about his feet hanging off 

the bed but he does it at home, too.

 John wanted to show us around Camp Mabry.  We visited the Texas Military Forces Museum which is on Camp Mabry.  They have made many changes to it since we were there four years ago. They've got some great stuff and the new parts are really nice.

Next up was a tour of Building 32 and the office that the boys work in.

Jacob showed us his "chair" that he works at, 

although he is up and around a lot.

 This is the "big" room that the J6 shop works in on drill weekend.

 While we were there, the monkey cousins Macy and Marlee got to meet 

Manny, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Texas Military Forces.

Czech Stop on the trip home - Kolaches to go!

Before Hannah left town, we went to Red Lobster with our good friend Kathy Corry to celebrate Hannah's birthday since she would be back home on the actual day. (WE MISS YOU, HANNAH!!)

Weekly Wrap-up - September 21

It's been a busy week! Keeping plenty busy at work (two jobs now - one doing regular work and playing some catch up, and the other just busy as we move into full gear at the new office).

I started out the week with an early doctor's appointment on Monday. Nothing of concern - just wanted her to check some spots on my face that I forgot to mention to her in my check-up the week before. All looked good to her but she gave me a dermatologist referral to do at my convenience.

John ended up being called to Active Duty in Austin until the 30th. He got there the first day, worked, went out to dinner, went to check into his hotel and told that they did not have a room reserved for him! The not-so-polite desk person said they had been talked to about the room but no one gave payment so no room unless he paid $300. He was out on that so he slept in his office and let the PTB make heads roll the next day.

On Wednesday, Lucky went in to have one of her teeth, that was cracked, pulled. She ended up having two teeth pulled (upper right molar - the chewing tooth - and the lower left tooth behind her canine). She also had another cracked molar - opposite side - so bone chewing is not only out for the two weeks for her mouth to heal, but pretty much forever! She will not like that - she loves those T-bones she gets once in a while and won't be able to enjoy the chew bones she steals from Maestro! We have to soak her food in water to make it soft for her but even the night of the surgery, she gobbled it down. They said she might not be hungry - HA! Have they met the 17.5 pound chunker? She looked pretty rough when we picked her up but she has been doing fine - a few coughing fits but not bad overall.

Also on Wednesday, Hannah, Elizabeth, and I loaded into my car to go play Bingo with Kim & Traci. Luck was not on our side, though! Just as we got past McDermott on Coit, our friend Danielle called and she and her daughter Tessa had been in an accident! We turned around and headed to Rolater & Custer where her poor Nissan kept them safe but was totaled. Tessa was quite the trooper during the whole situation.

On Saturday, we had the NYAC crop. It was fun that Hannah was here to join us and several of the peeps were able to make it. Tessa even joined us for a while in the morning to help setup, "take roll call," craft, and make special little gifts for a few of us. The crop day ended unexpectedly early. We go until 9:00 but Hannah and I were driving home by 8;18. Nothing in particular - just an early evening for those who attended. No complaining from us - we went home, unloaded, put on our PJs, and watched a few shows.

When we ran to Michaels and Tuesday Morning that day with the peeps (a NYAC day tradition), Darren called and Pender had broken his radius playing soccer!! No activity for him for a month.

On a bad note on this otherwise relaxing Sunday, Dad has to take Mom to the hospital at 3:00 a.m. She has been sick for a few days, saying it was just her sinsues, and when she was throwing up in the middle of the night, Dad decided it was no longer time to just let it ride. They got the ER and checked in, they took her back, checked her and was given some medication so she wouldn't throw up. It was than 8:00 a.m. before they got into an examining room! A FIVE HOUR wait! That's just craziness! Her sodium was low - which is a recurring problem with her and she's been hospitalized for it before. Her oxygen was good, though. They did admit her to the hospital so that they could start an IV treatments for the sodium. She will be there for probably a couple of days. They have to bring her sodium level up slowly because if they do it too fast it can affect the brain. When I spoke to her in the afternoon, she was hoarse and not happy to be in the hospital again but resigned to the fact. Wish there was just some magic pill that she could take that would keep her sodium levels normal!

Otherwise, it's Sunday "Relax Day:! Hannah and I had decided earlier in the week that today would be PJ & trash TV day. We had BACON for breakfast, have watched a few 4 Weddings and Say Yes to the Dress, Hannah is working on her current craft project (decorated wedding tray), and I've done a few household things at a nice leisurely pace. Nice to have a "down day."

Spaghetti Squash!

Well, yum yum! I finally got around to trying spaghetti squash. It was not exactly what I was expecting but I like it! I did not expect it to be kind of sweet. Talk about hard to cut open, though. Wowza - thank goodness cooking was easy! Tried some different things with it (butter & parm, marinara, seasonings, etc.) and so far my favorite it to eat it with just some Cotija cheese on it. The sweet and salty has nice flavor. Can't wait to try some "real" recipes with it! (We'll see how the boys take to it...or not LOL)

The boys are home!!

 I'm so not a good selfie taker!

YEA! My boys are home early! John always likes to surprise me and this was a good one! They were supposed to be home from Missouri on Wednesday. I had talked to John a few times today - just the normal stuff - he said he was going to visit Matt & Stacy, etc. So I'm in the kitchen with Kim while she cuts up veggies to go with the cilantro lime chicken for tonight's dinner and I see some movement in the backyard. I wonder in my mind what it is but assume it's just the leaves on the branch blowing. Suddenly the door opens and they boys come rushing in saying, "When we heard you were hurt, we jumped in the van and rushed home!" Uh, yeah, right. Let's see, around 3:30 I sent them the picture of the blood on my finger from where I cut it while while replacing the shower Jacob's shower valve and replaing the handle. It is now around 6:30. Somehow, I don't think you made that drive in 3 hours LOL! They did make good time, though, managing the trip in about 9 hours - one stop for gas. Love my boys, and although I got a lot done while they were gone, I'm glad to have them home!

Teresa the great repairwoman! Only one injury reported.

New Lights - I hate them!

So, they finally got around to finishing the streetlights along College (right outside our house). I was not happy when they first started putting them in but even less happy now that they have turned them on! It's like a football stadium in my house - so bright! We will have to sleep with the door shut to the living room - which I hate. I like having our doors open. I feel sorry for Jacob since his room will be pretty brightly lit with one of the new streetlight's blazing onto the front of the house. I guess one advantage is that our porch is much brighter now. We used to turn the porch lights on but because they were on the outside of the wall, there wasn't much light on the actual porch. Now no one should have any problems walking out our door to the house. Oh, and we won't really have to turn on the back yard light since another "wonderful" light brightens up that area quite nicely. Ugh! The cost of growth in Frisco. Had I known now what I knew then about how our little corner would evolve (no parking in front, ugly signs, bright lights to disturb our sleep), we would not have let Jacob have "the cow house". 

 The part of College where the lights have not been turned on yet.

The lit up part - no one should complain that they can't see!!

Great Sunday!

Whatcha doing today? Happy to say that we are Scrapbooking, yes, we are! I'm finishing up the journaling in Jacob's Scout album. Hannah is working on various projects at the "cutting island" and at the "toddler table". (She says, "You've heard of the short bus? I'm at the short table." LOL! My hubby brought in the table for her when she got here - but he got the table that I have that starts out for toddlers and can adjust up for adults - but she liked it in the toddler position). Wonderful, relaxing and fun Sunday. 

Oh, and John is cooking for us! Smoked ribs for lunch and smoked brisket for dinner!