Thriller

You know, so many times it really is the “little things” that make my heart happy. I was killing time at Wallgreens this week while the kiddos were having their passport photos taken and decided to carefully inspect their coupon paper to see if I needed anything on sale. Well there was a coupon for buy one get one free razors and blades from Schick Quattro. Although I have been buying these overpriced blades for Jeff for years, I usually settle on whatever disposal razors are on sale…or better yet, whatever it at the checkout counter where I usually decide I need them. So because of the coupon (and the fact that I had worn pants to work three days in a row because of my scary legs) I decided to try them out. What a difference! I am now a believer and will never again return to the Target brand razors of the past. I swear the new razors made me happy for the entire evening and even thinking about it now makes me smile. As an aside, I got laundry detergent there for $2.99- a big 72 loads bottle, isn’t the crazy?

Now for some more randomness…

Caroline and Nick know a little girl who had small accident and needed some plastic surgery this week and this is a conversation between the two of them about it.

Caroline: Emily has to have plastic surgery.
Nick: What does that mean?
Caroline: It means an operation, you know like Michael Jackson.
Nick: You mean their making Emily black?

What in the world!? Nicholas says something daily that makes me laugh and how odd is it that the King of Pop is Caroline’s only frame of reference for “plastic surgery.”

Well the weekend is finally here and I couldn’t be any more excited. Jeff and the kids have stuff at church going on in the morning so I think I will attack some laundry, vacuum dog hair, and maybe frame some pictures I had printed a few weeks ago. One thing’s for sure…there will be sleeping in tomorrow!

Shoo Earl, don't bother me

I must be the world’s most inconsistent blogger…oh well, it is what it is.

Caroline, Mum, and I have just returned from a trip to New York and Massachusetts. The “reason” we went was for my cousins Tom’s wedding. As an aside, the last time I was there was when my cousin Lauren married her husband Tom and now I went back for her brother Tom to marry his wife Lauren. Isn’t that funny? I find it amusing.

Because Mum had not been to see Chris and Katy in NYC so we decided to fly there and hang out for a couple days and then drive to Boston for the wedding. In the beginning of the week there was a lot of talk about Hurricane Earl and I was pretty sure we picked the worst week ever to head to New England. But, Earl stayed clear and we were good to go.

We had a great time in the city and sometimes I think to myself, “you only live once, why wouldn’t you live in NYC?” I realize I still have a “dream like” idea about New York, but I can’t help but love it there. Once we got to Massachusetts we went to my Aunt Jan’s house and had the best time. I wish my kids would get along like her girls do…I don’t think they ever fight. Granted, they are now young adults, but even so they are amazing, smart, athletic girls who are just as pretty on the inside as they are on the outside. Caroline loved being around them…they make excellent role models.

My aunts make me laugh. They are some of my favorite people and I have the best memories of them from when I was younger. Their homes make me smile, maybe because they are a constant and I remember being there as a kid. My Mum is blessed to have sisters…I wish Caroline had a sister.

The air was cool and houses were old. The roads were winding and the accents were a hoot. I just love it there. I keep telling myself that the winters are cold and the college is pricey. I would live there…Jeff would too.

Above is a photo we took in Plymouth. We saw the Plymouth Rock and it was pretty anticlimactic…but even still it is an area that is incredible rich in history.

Pool party!

I got an email from my buddy Karen a couple weeks ago challenging me to do the end of summer pool party for the neighborhood kids so I could scratch it off my list. What a good influence she is…I love that girl.

So, right then I told the kids we were going to do it that Thursday. And if you know kids, that meant we were doing it. Caroline and Noelle made invitations and set out to invite the kiddos. I think it is worth mentioning that at the bottom of their invitation they wrote “no cussing allowed.” That was geared at one of Jay’s friends, but just to be safe they put it on all of them.

Unlike most parties I throw there was very little preplanning. I stopped by the store on my way home for chips, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese and a box of brownie. Jeff grilled out while I baked brownies and it was pretty low impact. There was a competition to see who could make the biggest splash, a whirlpool was created, Marco Polo was played, and of course there was one or two games of chicken with me screaming, “ not so close to the edge,” Nick’s buddies weren’t able to come by so he spent part of the night crying that he had no friends.

Overall, it was a fun evening and I hope one that the kids will remember…I may even be up for it next year. Now…what’s next on my list?

Yippee for Saturday!

Saturdays rock. Especially Saturdays when we don’t have to rush out. Today I cleaned out my dresser and am on laundry load number four. May not sound that exciting, but it really is. We have an open house for Jay’s new school and a baby shower for Stephanie and Brian at 3:00….still need to figure out how to get to both places at once…still need to shower and it is almost noon.

After telling the kids about 5 times to stop playing on the stairs I decided to give up and grab my camera. I think I remember sledding down the same stairs with my brothers. This morning I asked Jeff about a cable cord in the corner of my living room. He said he thinks it belongs to my dad’s old satellite television. “Can I cut it?” Maybe you should check with Bub first was his answer. Is it strange that we have lived in this house for EIGHT YEARS and there are still things only Bub knows the answer too?

Kids start back to school in a couple days…need to make a Target run for supplies…bet there will be crowds today.

Productive week at work…getting ready to send our new magazine to the printers. I got a call Wednesday morning from my boss, he said, “grab a camera and head downstairs to the Men’s Room.” Okay. Turns out there was a coral snake in the bath room…yuck. As if that wasn’t enough wild life I spotted a bear crossing the highway on my way to work Friday morning. It was amazing. My first Tyndall bear spotting and I couldn’t believe it.

Yesterday was Jeff’s birthday and we had tacos with friends and family. It was a great night. Our friends are the best! The guys at “Old Mexico” make the dinner eventful and yummy. Jeff has decided that his next birthday will be a big deal…he will be 35. He is planning a year of physical and spiritual renewal that started with a trip to GNC and to join a health club first thing this morning. He is going to start working out with his friend Dustin and their goal is to become “beefcakes.” Who uses that work? I crack up every time I say it. I told Jeff I’m buying him the URL www.journeyto beefcake to journal the year. Ha!

Sorry about the randomness…

Kids and summer...

On Tuesday I had an 8:00 meeting at work and was away from my office for about an hour. When I got back to my desk I noticed my cell phone had 12 missed calls…all from home. I apologized to my poor staff for having to endure my cell phone ringing 12 times and Sarah said she almost answered it because she was starting to worry someone was hurt. When I called Jeremy back I said, “Jay is everything okay?” Jeremy responded, “Yeah, I was wondering if I can have the Hot Pocket in the freezer for lunch.” WHAT??? He insisted he had only called once about the Hot Pocket and it must have been his sister who called 11 other times before leaving for drama.

It’s official Jeremy is going to Newpoint Academy for school next year and I am very excited about this opportunity for him. We are hoping that it will lead to some new learning experiences for him and it will help him prepare for high school and college. According to their website….”Newpoint provides a unique high school environment which emphasizes high academic achievement through the use of state-of-the-art technology and innovative but proven educational methods. We prepare students to successfully compete in an increasingly competitive post-secondary environment and the global job market.”

Only two weeks of summer left-this has been the fastest summer ever! I can hardly believe we are already shopping for uniforms and backpacks- homework is right around the corner.

All in all it has been a good summer. I’m working on being happy in the here and now, even if I don’t have a plan for a year, or two, or three from now. I have had to say farewell to three great friends this summer so that has been tough. It is amazing how you don’t realize how much space people take in your heart and life until they are gone and that space is a bit empty. Fortunately, life fills in around it quickly and it makes things easier. People make life better…maybe I should be more specific…GOOD people make life better.

Meet Porkchop...

I was raised in a "cat house" and never really learned to love dogs. In fact, I have had people tell me that there is something they don't trust about people who don't like dogs...but, that's me.

Jeff always had a dog growing up and because of that we have tried. The occurrences below I am not proud of, but hey, it is what it is...

First came Bentley. If you have spent much time in the Coleman house you will remember this miniature Schnauzer who spent most all his hours of the back porch...poor guy. Well Habitat Julie had a friend who had a miniature Schnauzer and wanted to give Bentley the home he deserved. They came for him one night late and right when they got their the kids woke up...busted in the panhandle. Goodbye Bentley.

Next came Oscar...a wiener dog...novel name, I know. Well Oscar snuck out one Saturday morning and was hit by a neighbor (local teacher to remain un-named.) It was horrible, very upsetting. Poor Oscar, only 5 months old.

Jack was the next victim...I mean attempt at door ownerness for us. Jeff bought Jack while I was in the middle of remodeling my kitchen and did not have the where-with-all to object. Loser. Jack is a great dog, but we were not great dog owners. I have said that I have taught three things not to pee on the floor, I'm not potty training anything else as long as I live. After Jack's fate started looking like Bentley's I made a command decision and gave him to my in-law's. Jeff thought I was joking...I wasn't. They love him! He is a perfectly trained pup and the kids get to see him all the time.

Fast forward several years...I was cruising Craigslist (greatest site ever) when I found an English Bulldog. Jeff has wanted a dog so bad and I couldn't resist. Call it temporary insanity. I decided to surprise him with Porkchop...I know, that was the name he came with. Pokchop was a year old when he came to us and he was trained well by someone else. All the bad habits he has now came from us...for sure. Right from the start he fit right into our house. Some people say that he even "looks" like he belongs in our house. Well, Porkchop is messy and he snores. He is so ugly he is cute...and I love him. He is the first dog I have ever loved.

The picture above is him in front of the television this weekend barking at the dog on Animal Planet...okay, maybe he isn't brilliant.

It's 6:45 on the 4th of July and it feels strange to be home. But yesterday we barbecued and saw fireworks and then barbecued and played in the lake today so we have fulfilled all of the required 4ht fun for the year. And it really was fun. The 4th of July is a great holiday without holiday stress...plus a Monday off which is stellar.

I spent several hours shopping with Brandi yesterday for her house. I'm redoing her living room and I think she is a little scared. She loves solids....black and white for the most part. I can see the finished room in my mind and she can't...hence the nerves. I'll post pictures when it is done.

Nick learned to water ski today...wish I had a picture...so sad. He was a natural, up on the first try. He skied about 7 times and loved it. It helped that he was weighs 53 pounds and so he can practically walk on the water. I was so proud...I bet he will be a pro by the end of the summer.

Now we are watching "Grease"- a movie I could watch weekly. Do you think Olivia Newton John is one of the most adorable people ever? I do. I guess you could say I am hopelessly devoted to this movie.