Happy Independance Day!!

This is one of my favorite holidays. The things that were given up for me to be able to be here to celebrate it are not lost on me. I cant imagine not having the rights I have right now. Its wonderful knowing I can say what I want, where I want and to whom I want.


You know those tools I have been bitching about layin all around the house?? They aint layin there no more. And I didnt touch them.

BR told one of the kids today to go out to my truck and get the toolbox I had bought him about a month ago (he called me special at walmart to pick it up for him). They went out and got it, and he put his tools in it. well not the 2 pound sledge hammer. Thats still in the kitchen floor. But the plyers, the screwdrivers, the wire brush, Kliens, those are in there. And is sitting under the babies swing. I fiqure he will take it to work in about 3 weeks.

We have been cleaning up around here. We have his two brothers and their wives coming over tomorrow for fireworks and BBQ. We do it every year, well twice a year. at least. But if there is firewoks involoved you can rest assured everyone will show up over here with hundreds of dollars worth and we will try to blow somethin up.

Usually his sister and her husband and kids come too. But this year they have to work. One sister in law told me not to buy fireworks, they would take care of that since I supply all the food. That was fine by me. BR is gona BBQ some ribs, and I will make tater salad and baked beans. Then we will have an apple pie. And water melon. I have 100 pounds of water melon sitting on my table right now. There are 3 of them, weighing well over 30 pounds a peice. I hope they are good. They cost a small fortune. 10 bucks a peice. I like to have died when I found out what they cost.

The kids have really been helping me the last few days. I had to clean up the yard. Br will bushhog it tomorrow. Brett helped with that. Matt was sick when we did it. We spent a few hour out there yesterday. We were just about done with all the clean up, and I was putting ant dope on a few mounds when I heard the most GOD AWFUL crash. I literly heard the tires pop. I hollered at Brett and told him to stay here, and I took off running down the hill and heading to the intersection. Its not real far. I will clock it, but I'd say at least a 1/10th of a mile. I got to the crest of the hill and saw it was indeed a wreck (with noise like that I dont know what I thought it could be...) And I hollered back to Brett to go INSIDE and call 911. tell them here was a wreck at the intersection and give them our address. When I got there a few folks where there. One was my cousin, one was BR's. I waved at one as he drove off, spoke to the other before he left. There was already someone talking to the two little old ladies in the car, and the folks that were haulin a boat were out walking around. I was speaking with the boat owner and looked up, BRett was coming down the hill. Not a big deal, except he had left Rayley at home. Both dogs will follow him, and Bow was alone with Rayley in the yard. He was in his excersaucer thingy, but you never know when she will want to share a mud pie. And he is ALWAYS hungry. Matt was asleep, he hadnt felt good. I was fixing to head home anyway, since I couldnt do anything. And all parties were talking and coherant. I didnt know the folks, and they didnt need blankets or anything else I could offer. I asked him what he was doing. He couldnt make the phone work to call 911. Cause he was steady walking AWAY from the house the whole time. My phones only work about 20 feet from the house. Not plumb down to the highway. I ran all the way back home, and as I walked up Rayley was on the phone. With BR. She was telling him "there was a loud bang, momma hollered for brett to call 899 and then took off runnin" Luckily this intersection is notorious for wrecks and so he was pretty sure he knew what happened. I am just glad that it was a holiday weekend. because lots of people were there and able to stop and render aid. Since we are rural that is not always the case. I dont even know when the wrecks happen down there for the most part. With the TV, AC, kids and other various noises I dont hear them happen. Sometimes I hear the chopper coming in cause it touches down right there, but I have never been close enough to go down there.

Once I had run all the way back home I was so wore out that I couldnt stay out in the heat no more. plus when the wreck happened I had thrown my entire bag of ant poison all over the place. I have always said that I dont run. And dont plan on it unless OJ is behind me. And there is a reason for that. I am way too old. And out of shape.

Today was mostly inside cleaning. Not just picking up. Actual CLEANING. I swear, I cleaned out the vacuum 8 times. I want a freakin DYSON so bad. SOOO bad. The 18 feet of hose that twists and turns and does dido's and turns 90 degrees 8 times is just NOT a design that works well when you have dog hair, hair clips, misc peices of paper, doll shoes, dog hair, the occasional barrett, and dirt. Why cant it just be a strait hose, 1 foot long, that goes strait to the bucket. It cant be that freakin hard.

I know parts of the vaccum that no lay person should ever know. And now my kids know cuss words that they shouldnt learn until the Juvinile delinquent teaches it to them on the playground.

Once during one of my self induced dust storms Rayley came through and informed me that "hollerin and cussin that stupid thang aint gona make it work no better, you should hug it and tell it you love it, then you need to bry you a dyson, he worked for years to come up with just the right design"

Brett was smart enough to get her out of the room before I threw the offending piece at her.

Today the boys asked me when I was going to hook up their computer. My dad had brought down his old one and its hooked up, I just have to put a keyboard on it. I told them I would do it soon, and asked why. Matt said he had heard you could get music on them. I told them it didnt matter cause they wouldnt have internet on it. Then I had to explain that all the places I go require internet. They could play a few card games and I'd get them some interactive books to put on it.

This made Matt mad, he said it wasnt fair, he wanted to email people. He said it was no better than those stupid broke cell phones I gave them, that they could only take pictures on and couldnt even send the pictures to each other. and asked me what the point was.

I asked him if he knew how old I was before I got my first computer. he just looked at me crazy.

I told him I was pregnant with him when I got my first computer. I had used them at work for years before that, but never had one at home, and never been on the net. He started whining about how that didnt matter, when I was growing up they didnt even have cell phones, or CD's.

Then Brett piped up and said "well Matt, just think, when you are pregnant with your second child you can get the internet."

That made him madder than a wet hen.

Ohhh.. and I really ticked off Brett today. The little brat was told to go and get the clothes out of the dryer. I would fold them when I got done vacumming. Well I got done and there were no clothes. So I asked. He said they wernt dry. I went and checked. Cause although they are bad about forgetting to turn on the dryer, something didnt ring true.

I went and checked. Come to find out, it was a load I had put in. and they were dry as a bone.
needless to say he then had to change over and fold or hang up 4 loads of laundry. And I told him that he owed me 5.00. I told him that is what it cost me in Electricity to run that dryer when we didnt need to. That really got his goat. He thought he was cute on th last 2 loads. He went and got his and Matts and Rayley's blankets. cause there aint no folding. I went along with it.
Then when I kissed them goodnight tonight I told him that first thing tomorrow he was to take care of the load in the dryer now, and the one I had just put in the washer.
He said that wasnt fair.. Oh well...

Bow is growing like a weed, and getting braver as the days go by. Every once in a while you will catch him standing up on his own.

I worked alot of US history into today. Just in conversation with the kids. We discussed the constitution, bill of rights and what it all means to them. I think they learned something. I know they came to the conclusion that they are very lucky to live where they do. Matt wants to know what kids do that dont get to hunt or play in the woods.



The stupid flapper I put on the toilet has an issue. It will hang up wide open if you are not careful, Its much better than the warped one, cause this one you CAN jiggle and it catches. And you dont have to do it every time. Plus the water rushes in so fast that you can hear it. But I walked in yesterday and it was running, so I jiggled it. Then I made a mental note to mention this to BR.
Then it happened again, So this time I got out of bed and fixed it. I told BR what I had to do.
Then this afternoon I went through there and BR had left out and it was rushing through and wasting water. So I took off the lid, kinda as a reminder. and so you can see that it did catch.
Then abotu 5 minutes after he left I went to put up something in the bathroom and it was running, I decided to make another mental note to mention it to BR. and went around to fix it. The lid was back on. I am not sure why the lid was back on. and whats sad is, it was messed up WITH the lid back on. I am not real sure what having th lid off was hurting. noone uses our bathroom, ever. And even if they did I wouldnt care. I'd much rather explain that I wasnt wasting 20.00 in deisel to get a 1.27 part and we were just coping in the meantime. I have to remember to mention to him that it will get hung up.


I got my first mess of purple hull peas today. OMG they were SOOO good. ANd the kids wolfed them down. And at lunch I had cut up a fresh tomatoe. I asked Matt to eat a bite. He wouldnt, so I offered him a buck. He made sure I didnt have my fingers crossed, swore I was lyin and wouldnt give it to him, wanted to know how little of a bite netted him a buck. Finally I convinced him and so He took a bite. Then ate my whole plate of maters...

I reckon I should try to remember to pay him. I really did forget. But in all honestly so did he. He wanted me to drive over to my grandfathers and get him some more. cause I didnt have any more here.

Speaking of food, I would love a little bite to eat. But, this is the cleanest my kitchen has been in a long time, I dont want to mess it up!

I started out with nothing and I have most of it left.

THat is a sign I have hanging in my bedroom. And its true. A friend got it for me after the house burned. I thought it was very fitting. At the time I had no furniture, very little clothing, heck, I didnt even have a house. SOme folks who saw it were appalled. I thought it was funny. And perfect.

Yesterday I went to town. I spent 6 hours in walgreens and walmart. I have for weeks been collecting coupons, scouring the sales papers to price match and fiquring out what I needed, what I could do with out, and what was a good deal. I have started trying to use coupons, anything to save a little money.

Like I said, 6 hours. that doesnt include the cutting, the list making, the reading everything I could on the internet, that is 6 hours of being on my feet pushing a shopping cart, trying to remember if I had a coupon for the 8 oz or the 9oz bag of what ever.

I saved a little over 105.00. I was so damn proud. And I didnt buy crap that I dont already use. Of course I spent a little over 350.00 but thats typical. a family of 6 uses alot of crap. I promise.

And like anyother grocery day I was exhausted when I got home. My mom had kept the kids and I really needed them to unload. Unfortunatly, Matt had a headache and a fever, and Brett and Rayley had been sick to their stomaches all day. Brett and Rayley did help me. Poor Matt just kept begging me to come and sit by him on the couch. He was so pitiful.

My grandfather called, he asked if I would be home to go adn get the fertilizer for the hay feild. I told him yes, we could go at 9am. He asked if BR would be able to put it out with the tractor. I told him I didnt know. It depended on how late he worked. Usually he leave the house around 2 or 3 and gets home at 6-8am here lately. Thats not much sleep. And since this is the middle of the week he wont be off till Saturday. And he isnt always off then. But my grandfather just started saying he would have to pay someone, cause it had to be done real quick. Since it was going to rain tonight. I told him I would ask BR.

Well, today I got to my grandfathers at 9am. BR had been going to bed as I was walking out the door. When I got there he asked me what kind of ball I had on my truck. I told him a towin ball. Well it had to be taken out. Come to find out the fertilzer spreader doesnt take a ball, its got 2 holes in peices of flat iron that sandwich over your ballless hitch thingy (I call it that SOB hitch thingy, cause it sticks out from the back of my truck about 8 inches and I am FOREVER hitting my shin on it... ), and you put a big ole pin through it.

Well herein lies a problem. My ball was put on my hitch about 2 years ago. By BR. He is strong. AND its been in MUD, water, dirt, general YUCK for that long. Well your ball has a shank on it, and a BIG nut that screws it onto your hitch. This this was as good as welded on there. We spent 15 minutes trying our hardest to get it off. I asked my grandfather about 9 times for some WD40. SInce I dont have a toolbox in this truck. He kept saying we didnt need it. Well a 15 inch cresent wrench, and 2 18 inch pipewrenches were NOT working. the thing wouldnt BUDGE. So I wnt and found some miricle oil (WD40) and sprayed iton. Then we put the hitch in the truck and started pulling. I kept asking if we were going the right direction. He kept saying yes.

About 5 minutes of this, and I am telling you, labor didnt hurt this bad. and the wrench got kicked. it moved. bad part was it was kicked the OPPOSITE way we had been pullin. Now I am BAD about not remmebering which way loosens stuff. I just dont loosen enough stuff to know. I use a drill for that. It has a forward arrow and a backward arrow. Its blonde proof.
So with a few tugs (we had even went and got the Tpost driver and slipped it over the end of a pipewrench to give us more leverage) and it was off.

So off to town we go. I had to go and get horse feed and a salt block, then deal with an idiot 18 wheeler driver who blocked me in at the feedstore. Then we went to get the fertilizer contraption. Now I have never used one. I just usually throw it, or BR has a plow thingy that 'lays by' the fertilizer when you plant. It goes behind the tractor. I still have to walk behind it to make sure its workin right.

Anyway, we got this thing all hooked up. and If you have ever pulled a trailer you know that some are better than others. WEll I never knew how much I loved a ball until I didnt have one. THis thing would jerk back and forth cause it wasnt a good seal. Plus I had a worrysome old man sitting beside me thinking I was gona run off and leave the damn thing cause I was driving 65. The speed limit is 70. And he freaked out everytime I went on the shoulder to let some poor soul pass me. See thats a what we call a courtosey here in Texas. When you are going slow as molasses on the highway and someone comes up behind you going the speed limit you pull over and let them pass.
Plus the whole time my grandfather was worried about that pretty blue sky turning dark and ugly and pouring down on us. He kept wanting to know if BR would be there with the tractor when we got there.
it was 10am. I told him since it wasnt PTO driven I could just use my truck and do it if he was worried, that the earliest BR would even roll over was 2. He cant grasp this concept. He has never worked nights. He cant imagine sleeping during the day. Well if you work all night that only leaves the day to sleep. But I try not to argue with fence posts. or at least I dont do it often.
My grandmother always said I would argue with a fence post and kick it over when I thought it was right. I think I got that from my grandfather.

So when we got back to the hayfeild he decided that yes, I should go ahead and spread it with my truck. So we got out adn pulled the only lever on the thing to start the fertilizer going. It only goes if you are moving, then it throws the stuff about 15 feet on either side of you. As you drive.

Well there was this wheel thing, when you pulled the lever it pushed that wheel thing down onto the back tire of the spreader, making the tire make it spin, and a belt was attached to that, which turned another wheel that made the track inside loop and it brought out the fertilizer and then through it onto disks that threw it out.

When we pulled the lever we didnt relize that it was supposed to touch the tire. I had never seen one of these things in my life. Well, my grandfather was convinced that my driving had broken it. I was perplexed too. Then it hit me. It was belt driven, and to drive the belts you had to turn that big wheel, and when it laid up against the tire it drove.

I tried to tell him this. But no, I was wrong, so he walked around it a few times, then came back and told me that he thinks it is supposed to lay on the tire, so the spinning action makes it work. I didnt say I told you so.

So I got in and started driving. He started hollering. I was doing it all wrong. Now the field is basicly a rectangle. So I was going to start in a big circle and then head into the middle.

No, he wanted to go up and down. well, this is a long time garden spot. which means it i all these small rolling hills. when you are driving 9-10 miles an hour they are rough as a cob. I even got stuck 3 times. Thank God for 4 wheel drive.

After much screaming and cussing and throwin of our hat. (by our I mean his) he finally explained what he wanted. Oh yea. I wasnt TOLD we were making strait lines. He just assumed I knew that. Uhhh NO. SO I had Rayley and Brett and Matt and Bow, all clammering to do something, wanting out, playing and running in the hayfeild, or climbing all over me. Bow was driving me nuts. I tried to put in a movie for Rayley, but of course it was scratched and wouldnt work.

Bow wwasnt going to stay in his car seat. There was no way. So I was dealing with him too. and him trying to break everything in my truck. At one point I had to get out and check on something on the spreader. It wasnt doing right. Well then my grandfather and I discussed it and decided he would drive while I stood at his next 'aim spot' so he knew where to drive to. Well I had gotten out and left Bow in the backseat, he was playing with his toys in the floor board. safe. Couldnt reach the front, couldnt climb over any seats. Just playing. I remembered how much of a handful Bow could be while you were trying to drive, so I hollered at Brett to come around and get Bow out. I told him that I had locked the back doors. Next thing I knw, the dingbat had unlocked them and opened up the backdoor. well Bow had been standing and leaning on it. Brett had been talking to him through the window which was up. Out he went tumbiling. My grandfather almost caught him, as did Brett. They broke his fall though. And the ground was soft. He never made a sound. It didnt hurt him at all. But I swear, I was working with morons.

Since I knew he wasnt hurt even from 20 feet away I was laughing when they brought him to me. My grandfather was trying hard not to laugh, But said "he isnt hurt" I said, "oh I know" and looked at Brett and asked him "why didnt you catch him?"
He said "I missed, but its okay, the ground caught him pretty good"
He has heard this all his life. ANytime they ask what will happen if they fall, well tell them "the ground will catch you"
or if they dont want to jump down off something they have climed on, we'll tell them that.

For a while my grandfather bounced and beat my truck up and down the pasture, he would hit some of those bumps so hard the wheels would come off the ground. I wasnt allowed to drive over 35 on a well maintained road all the way home, but he could beat and bang and toss the truck and trailer all over the place. Eventually I took back over the driving.

We FINALLY got to a point where my grandfather said "what time is it?, I'm getting a little hungry"
I had been waiting on thsi question, since I had been watching the clock from 11:30, to 11:40, then 11:50, then 11:51, 11:52, by :55 I was starting to worry about him. He NEVER goes past 11:58 before he lays it down to go and eat. Even with out a watch on. He KNOWS, in his internal clock that its time.

We had MAYBE 30 minutes of work left, but I didnt argue. We loaded up in my uncles golfcart and started down the blacktop to his house. HE had ridden with me so he didnt have his mule. Well the kids were on the back, hanging on and we were going at least 2 miles an hour. After about the 9th time of telling them to hang on I looked back, Brett was picking himself up off the ground. He had fallen off. It scratched him up some. But nothing major, there wasnt even any blood. But I sure did get tickled. I couldnt stop lauging. I told him that was what he got for dumpin Bow on the ground earlier. He just laughed. He was laughing when he picked himself up off the ground, when I was still having that twinge of scaredness.
You know the twinge, when one of your kids does something ignorant, and you are thinking "OMG are they hurt?? anything broken?? how much will the ER charge for this?, or OH CRAP! dont be hurt, we aint got insurance!' that twinge.

When he ran back up to the golf cart I asked what happened. my grandfather looked at Brett and said "looks like the ground caught him"


Once we ate, and went back to the hayfield we were done in no time flat, so I came home. BR woke up shortly there after and then after he ate went to take a shower. He told me I was going to have to wash one uniform shirt, cause he wouldnt have one till Thursday, he had to turn in his uniforms today to be washed and wouldnt pick them up till Thursday morning when he got off.

i had to take the fertlizer spreader back to town so I left when he did. I fot behind some idiot from Louisianna. Over yonder the speed lmit is 55. everywhere. This guy was doing 45. Our speed limit is 70.
I tried to pass him a few times, but he decided the 1/2 of the road that he could use was the middle half.
Then we got to a short 4 lane, by short I mean VERY short. its more of a turning lane for a Farm to market road, but there is just enough room to pass. He couldnt decide which side to drive on, so I just pulled around him and gas choked it. It was worth the 4 bucks it cost me in deisel to do it too. There were about 8 cars piled up behind me. As I passed he flipped me off. Had it not been for those other 8 cars I would have slowed WAY down and made him drive 25. But it wouldnt have been fair to them. Those poor souls would have enough miles to follow before there was another 4 lane or safe place to pass.

Now I dont care where you are from, when you come to a new state you learn their laws. Just like when you move to a new country you learn the freakin language. Here we pull over if we cant manage to go the speed limit. And most people DRIVE the speed limit. Unless you are pullin somethin dangerous, are driving a tractor, or are 97 years old. Just because your own state has asnine laws doesnt mean the rest of the country does. I was already having a stressful day, dealing with a MO-RON was NOT making it better.

I went ahead and got to where I was going. I pulled in the parking lot, sat there a minute, got out, walked around behind the spreader and was seeing where I needed to back it into and that no drivin fool passed. He flipped me off AGAIN! I returned the favor and offered him to come on back and lets talk. He declined the invite. But the car behind him did honk at me and give me the thumbs up. I recognized them from one I had passed at their driveway 15 miles back. They were STILL stuck behind him. I know they were mad enough to bite a nail in two.

Once I got backed in, (backing up a trailer with close wheels, or only one set is NEVER easy, but I did manage it) got unhooked (this thing was not made for a 4 wheel drive, they sit too high) and pulled out that pin thingy I was SO ready to go home and relax!

As I walked in the door BR was calling, he had forgotten his clothes, could I run them by the shop when I went to town?


I had checked my mail as I came home and once I got off the phone I went through it. My water bill was in there. 129.00 even. I almost died. Last months was abotu 20 dollars too high. But I fiqured it was all the clothes I had washed. (those ants added a HUGE amount of laundry to my life) So I came in and told the kids to watch the baby, I was going to chase down the line and make sure that I didnt have a leak. Now its not easy. There are weeds higher than my head out there. I kid you not. As I was walking out the door the phone rang. I was already across the yard and Brett came running out to tell me that it was my mom. I swear I just told them that I was going to be right back. And I only heard it ring once. had they waited more than one ring I would have been swallowed up by the weeds and out of reach.

So I talked to her in the swealtering sun (If I went back in Bow would see me and start to cry) I got off with her and
I headed down to the water meter and sure enough it was steady spinning. I was looking down in the thingy and trying to count how much I was loosing. THEN I realize I am staring at the biggest freakn spider I have ever seen. It was as big as the palm of my hand. I like to have died right then.

I walked away and got out my cell phone to call the house. I spent a good 5 minutes trying to find a signal, leaned up on a fence post and right about the time I got one I saw another spider. This one wasnt quite as big, but scared me none the less. THe phone rang 37 times before Brett picked it up. SO I told him to see if the toilet was running, to check everything. He said the masterbath toilet was indeed running. When I complained about the water bill last month BR had said that toilet had been running, but he mentioned it in passing and I honestly never thought anything else about it. I dont use that bathroom much. Not with him in there asleep all day. I just use the kids. He hasnt said anything, hasnt bitched about me not getting the part, and honestly, I didnt think about it.

Since I couldnt trust Brett to turn off the water with otu breaking the line, I told him to get the walkie talkies and meet me down at the meter. 3 minutes later he was down there (he has paths that I cant find.. For me its just a maze..) I told him to keep a watch on that spinning dial and tell me if it stopped.
I went back to the house and turned off the water to the toilet. He immediatly called me and told me it had stopped. I told him to keep watching. Then I went in the kitchen and turned on the water. He went to hollerin that it was spinnin. I turned if off.
He hollered "it stopped!! It stopped"
I turned it on, "its spinnin again, real fast!!"
I turned if off "it stopped, it stopped"
I did this about 9 or 10 times. Each time he would get more and more excited.
Matt came through and said "are you just gona stand there wasting water just to screw with his head all night?"
So I turned it back on again.
Finally I quit and told him to come on home. I had fixed it. He said okay. 3 minutes went by. I turned back on the water. sure enough I hear "its spinning again!! "

Once I got him back to the house I had Matt come and hold the flashlight, cause that light is still out where the ants got in the contacts of the switch. I bought the switch about 2 weeks ago, but it hasnt been changed. and I just havent wanted to do it. There are more lights in the bathroom, so its not that bad, unless you are working on the toilet. I felt around and sure enough, the flapper was warped. that was the only problem. Wiggiling it wouldnt work, and it literly leaked out with the water off in just a minute. It was dry as a bone. In the 10 minutes I had been screwing around down there getting to the water meter and calling back up to the house, I had lost like 3 gallons of water. cause the flapper is warped. 1.27 peice of rubber has cost me over 100.00. And I havent even added up what the last 6 days since they read the meter were going to cost me.

I started trying to call my mother in law, to get her to pick me a flapper up when she was in town tomorrow. She said that she had one sitting right there. She had bought it this weekend, but forgot to ask me to put it on, and I could have it and she would buy a new one tomorrow. I told her I didnt mind waiting. I dont use that bathroom anyway, but would come over and put it on for her. She said no, that my father in law was home now, and he hates for me to fix the stuff he wont. But she also wanted to make sure it was the right flapper. The one I had put on her other toilet a few years ago was still working adn she wanted one just like that. SHe just about has everyone except my father in law trained to double check that hers is not running (she can still wiggle the handle and it will stop), so it doesnt burn up her well when she is at work. She said that if she hears my father in law go to the bathroom in the middle of the night she goes in when he is done and wiggles the handle to turn it off, cause he just wont remember to do it.

So I left and took BR's clothes down to the yard and threw them in the back of his truck, then I went by her house and picked up that flapper, and then I went and dropped off the feed and salt block I had forgotten to drop off earlier. I came home and in 3 minutes with a 1.27 peice of crap I had fixed the whole problem.

When BR called me I told him about the water bill. Luckily he was able to fiqure out how it was my fault. He had after all told me once, about a month ago that the toilet had been running. Its not like I dont BEG everyone to write down anything they want from town on a peice of paper stuck to the fridge. half the time I dont even remember to walk out of the house with my glasses on, I cant get everything I need with that list. Or in one of the trips he has made with me and bought tools that he just has to have for work and cant live with out, and then set in the kitchen floor (we are now up to a tool box, (cause the other one got icky and broke), a screw driver set, wire brushes that had to be bought 2 months ago, and a 2 pound sledge hammer) he could have reminded me. Heck, I was proud of me cause I bought that light switch with out having to be told. I bought it the next time I went to town. Maybe I will put it in tomorrow. Then I can put the cover back on the plate. Before it gets lost.

SO I called my mother in law back and was bitching to her. SHe sympothised. She hears the same stuff. Then she said something about the electric bill. I had gotten that too, but hadnt opened the envolope. So at her insistance I did. I really didnt want to. I am already having to pay out 80.00 extra on my water. I dont want to think about the electric bill too. Now I wish I hadnt. It literly jumped up 102.00. Its 324. I havent changed a thing. NOT a thing. and this isnt even the hot months yet. I dread it getting any higher. and Lord knows there is no way I can find an electrical leak.

When I freaked out to my MIL on the phone she said, "Oh I know, mine was over 300 too. I just thought you should be mad about all of it at one time." If I hadnt been so tired, and hadnt already wasted my alloted deisel for the day I would have driven over there to strangle her.

ALl that time I had spent saving that money grocery shopping and now its all gone. Plus more. I swear, I cant win for loosin. I was so proud of myself.

anyway, I was in such a bad mood I spent the last 3 hours cleaning out my cabinets. I rearranged everything, put it all back and cleaned the kitchen real good. The kids did pitch in and help. I think they knew I was close to my breaking point.

Brett even cleaned the living room. And Rayley picked up all of Bow's toys. Matt helped alot in the kitchen. I did find quite a few boxes of shake and bake. If I can still afford meat next week we can always eat that adn the box of taters I found.

At least when I die there will be a legacy. It will be bills, but I will be remembered. :)

Well, there was mud.... just no bog...

Well, after driving for 45 minutes I found out that we wernt going to a mud bog. It was a 4 wheeler thingy. we still had 30 minutes to go. When we got there I found out that there was not gona be a single 4 wheel drive truck. It was a pit dug with about 3 feet of water and they were just racin 4 wheelers through it. I dont like 4 wheelers. I have flipped a few and tend to stay away from them.

Of course we only arrived an hour early so the really board rednecks got all the good places to sit. If I cocked my head just right I could see them come up over the hill. that was it.



And I swear people would walk between where we were sitting the people in front of us and STAND there. How rude. had I actually cared I would have said something. As it was I just sat back and laughed at them. There were some doozy's.
There were 12 of us that went. all 3 brothers, their wives and then my 4 kids and my sister in laws 2.
When we get together and pack up for something like that its like moving an indian villiage.

We hadnt been there for 20 minutes and BR gave my neice 40.00 to go and get the kids each a T shirt. Then Matt walked up and told me that he wanted a sausage on a stick. His dad had told him to come tell me to get them and get him one with a bun. I swear, I had 30.00 in junk food in my diaper bag. all bagged in ziploc bags, ready to eat. I had tried to feed them all before we left so they wouldnt be hungry.

I went and got BR a sausage, matt and Brett decided on nacho's and Rayley wanted a pickle. So much for me not spending money. But I guess it would be worth it if they had fun. although I was still thinking they should have had fun just with the money I spent in Deisel.

THEN, we sat down. Bow was a live wire. He was so happy and cheerful and jumpin up and down. It was like tryin to hold a greased pig. I spent the next hour and a half playing with my blackberry, my sisterin law played with hers and BR with his. We just transfered the rest of the stuff I had put on his phone before I had them changed over and the old ones turned off. I could have cared less about the 4 wheelers. And had I known what I was going to see I wouldnt have went.

Speaking of my old phones, they have been the cheapest presents I have ever given the kids. Once I turned off the service (which REALLY pissed them off.. like I am gona give a 8 and 9 year old a cell phone..) I let them have them. I do wish they could bluetooth each other. They would freakin LOVE that! But, they are happy as clams running around and taking pictures. THey cant do anything WITH the pictures, but LOVE to use the phones to take them. Oh well. cheap entertainment!

About the 3rd time Brett came over to BR and asked if it was gona be over soon we all decided to load up and drive back home. When a kid dosnt enjoy mud and seeing vehicles play it in you KNOW its boring.

And I was tired of wrassilin houdini. that kid cant be tied down. I swear.

We got home around 11:30. The kids had ridden home with Luke and Amanda and they brought them in. I swear I never even saw them. Nor heard a word. They went strait to bed.

Today was pretty boring. I didnt do much, just transfered all my pics that I had emailed to BR's new phone from my old phone (I had transfered everything from HIS old phone to my old phone, then text'd everthing to his NEW phone, then last night we text'd my stuff to MY new phone) to the SD card thats in there, then put them on the computer. There were pics on there that were 2 years old. I had never gotten them off. thats sad.

It came another storm today. Its rained like the proverbial bovine reliving herself on a horizontal rock for 4 days strait in the middle of the day, then stops and clears up. They were finally able to make the hay yesterday. They have been trying for a week. Once the rain let up and BR went to work I ran and got me a sunday paper. I am trying this coupon thing. With a vengance. I am also getting my grandfather to save his coupons for me. I have to do something to combat the price of food. Not cooking is not working.

Speaking of cooking. I was complaining yesterday about my slight pooch, I have been lax in the excersize department since Bow was born. Not that I was ever big on it. But apparently age is catching up with me. Anyway, I commented about it to BR. I said that I really needed to do something about it. My current excersize regimine wasnt working.
He said "what are you doing?"
"Sittin on my butt mostly"
"well, keep working hard at that, I am sure it will work eventually"
I think he was being rude. But I didnt care, I was headed into the kitchen. There is a new bluebell ice cream, Southern blackberry cobbler. it has real blackberries and peices of pie crust. flakey pie crust. OMG heaven.

Blue bell will send you ice cream by fedex out of state, so if you have a little money to burn, I recomend trying it. If you do, get cake batter while you are at it. Its to DIE for. I dont really like ice cream that much. But could LIVE off that stuff. I kid you not.
But it has to be bluebell. I think there are other ice creams out there. But I have honestly not ate them. Its just Un TExan to do so. And NOTHIN is anywhere near as good.

Oh, while I went into my grandfathers today I left the kids in the truck. I came back out and they had the stereo blaring. Jambaliya was on.
I asked them who sang it.
Matt says "Hank Williams Jr's Dad"
"whats his name?"
I swear I was met iwth total silence.
Then
"Was it George?"
"ahhhh No"
"Stephen WIlliams"
"again, NO, what is the sons name?"
"Hank Williams Jr"
"OH I know, " says Matt " Bocephous!"
" No, thats Hank Jr's nickname. His daddy called him that, Try one more time"
"ohhhh... Is it Hank Williams too?" says Matt
"YES! Hence the JR at the end of Bocephous' name"
"well what was his name before he died?"
"huh?"
"well, since he got drunk and did drugs and died at like 29, ...
which was interupted by Brett saying "why again was that such a bad thing? isnt that old?".. and "that must be sad, to not have any parents"
Matt kept going "..... is that why they named Bocephus, Hank Jr?, Cause his dad died and they wanted another Hank Williams?"
"No, thats not why, sometimes people are named after their fathers, and they are Juniors. Like Pop. He's a Junior."
"did they name him that before his dad died?"
"yes, when he was born. He was older than me when his dad died"
"well, thats just stupid, it would be confusing. Like if we were both named BR, then if you called BR we would all come"
"y'all dont come when I call the names I gave you"
"sometimes we do"
"yeah.. like when you say 'Brett! Matt! suppers ready!!"
"Right! or 'Matt!!, Brett!!, come get some candy!!'"
"I never say that!"
"I know, but it would be nice to hear."
"you dont name 2 kids the same name. You can have a JR, thats one kid named after the father. And he can have a kid, and name him the same thing. Then you have a third, and so on"
"wow, those graves must get confusing..."
I swear, I dont know where my kids minds are at half the time.
"yeah, and how do you choose who gets to be named like the dad?"
"usually its the first born."
"well that sucks!"
"yeah, what if its a girl?"

I was SOOO glad to drive up in the driveway. SO glad. and by the time they got in the house they were on a differnt subject.

Why do I even try?

I did something last night I havent done in a LONG time. I fell asleep at 10:30. of course wouldnt you know it. BR says he came home at 11:30. I never know'd it.

I did have to get the kids up early, Martha (my mother in law) wanted to take them to daycare for some sort of outing. The park or something.

THey are sure enjoying the summer. They stay outside all the time. unless Bow is asleep. Then they come in here with me and bounce on the couch.

They were at my mother in laws the other day and she called to tell me some gossip. WHile we were on the phone I asked her what the kids were doing. She said "they are chasing and armidillo."
"I reckon they aint caught it yet"
"No, but Brett did touch the shell"
"what made them start chasing it?"
"boredom I reckon"
"well, if they ever catch it, they will let it go in a hurry"
"thats what I told them. But I just decided to do what you said and let them learn since they wont listen when you tell them they'll get hurt."
"yep, you cant fix stupid"
"I swear my boys never did that sort of thing"
Then I about died laughin.. If they EVER did anything, they didnt tell momma, cause momma aint what you'd call a calm person. She tends to freak out. easily.
I actually have in my cell phone to NOT call Martha in an emergancy. if they did she wouldnt be able to tell you a damn thing when she called you. You'd just hope that when you ended up takin her to the hospital for a heartattack, or hypervenalatin that they would recogonize the last name and say someone was there with that same last name.
I told her to call me if they caught it, so I could come over and bandage them up.

I asked them a few days later why they was tryin to catch a diller. Brett says:
"just cause"
"what was the purpose?"
"to see if I could"
"what was you gona do if you caught it?"
Matt pipes in "guess you want me to cook the SOB too." well at least he cleaned it up for general audiences... If you dont know the movie that came from, you should.

Then BR tells them "you know how to catch one dont ya?"
"chase it?"
"no, take some rocks, toss them in front of it and when it is inpecting them thinking its bugs, you grab him up by the tail"

"and then you THROW him and run like hell in the oppsite direction, cause he is gona tear your ass up!" I tell them.
They just laughed. Oh well... one day they will learn.



Tonight we are going to a mud bog. And the kids know we have some sort of suprise. They know we are leaving at 5. And Rayley has been tryin to put on her clothes ALL day. wanting to know when we are gona leave. Driving me nuts. Right now she is running around in a tutu and her pink fat babies.

Brett and Matt are just hanging around driving me NUTS. They could worry the arms off a rag doll. They have managed to go outside about 12 times. letting the dogs in 4 times, slamming the door 3, and leaving it OPEN 6 times. BUT only on their way OUT. Which means I have to get up to close it. SO, I wait till they get plumb out of earshot, then I holler them up or set off the truck alarm, make them come ALL the way back and all the way in, ask me what I needed, and tell them to shut the door.

Boy it pisses them off. I cant use the old "were you raised in a barn?" cause they will tell you flat out. "YEP". and they were.
They have even slept in the barn. When you have a horse that colics, they dnt stop cause the sun goes down. And to be honest, they were very helpful. at 4 an 5 years old they would walk them old horses till they couldnt walk no more.

BR is home today. and I love him dearly, but honestly, he can drive me crazy.
I have been tellin the kids since they woke up that I was going to cook a late lunch, early dinner. we would eat at 4. then go meet the rest of the family at 5.
I have bagged up snacks and bought drinks for tonight. there will be NO concession stand.
I had decided to cook spagetti cause at last count everyone liked it, And they will eat their fill.

I have been trying to play on the computer for a few hours. First BR was reading a cigar catalog, on each page he would show me something. and he was watching TV inbetween. and would ask if I had seen that.
Nope. then he gets agervated cause I wasnt watching and rewinds it to show me.
Then at noon he asked if I was gona cook. I told him that I would go ahead and do it at 2:30. Which means that since my kids eat 3 meals a day and 18 snacks, they will be HUNGRY by 5. We wont even make it half way to the mud bog before they are crying and screaming wanting food. I am NOT stopping and buying food. I will make them each a sandwhich to take along.

At 1:30 he said he hadnt ate all day, and thought it was close enough to 2:30 to go ahead and start lunch.

This completly defeats the purpose of me cooking supper early. But I guess a sandwhich is out of the question.

So I got up and started to RECLEAN the kitchen. While I was sweeping I found where Matt had put the pile I had told him to pick up 2 nights ago. under the rug.

I also went to throw some clothes into the laundry room that hadnt made it the extra 3 feet into there. There sat the comferters that I had told the boys to wash this morning. So I had to call them in to do that.
The entire time I am cleaning and cooking BR keeps asking me if I 'saw that'. NOPE. I am in the kitchen, cleaning. and cooking. so he will rewind it and tell me to watch. I had meat cooking.

This happened no less than 23 times. I swear.

I cant see the TV from the kitchen, so I would walk into the living room. Then Bow would see me and follow me back. 4 people sitting in the lving room watching TV and they cant keep a baby out from under my feet.
He's too fast, is what BRett says.

He had a toy in the kitchen that he was playing with. That 2 pound hammer that couldnt be found a few weeks ago? Its still sitting in the kitchen floor. even after he needed it SOOO bad the other day. And got mad cause it was missing.

I was asked once when I was called into the living room, I think it was the 12th or so time, if it was ready yet.

When i finally got it cooked, the table ready and everyones food on their plates, I called them in.

I came in the living room and hear one of them say "there's burnt meat in here"...

I swear, I had no more than sat down and got Bow half fed that they were all back in here. they were done.
Now granted, Spagetti isnt a gourmet meal.
But I would appriciate if they would sit and enjoy it. Now, 20 minutes after I got lunch (that was supposed to be supper) cooked, the kitchen clean, and got to sit, its time to go and clean up the whole damn mess.

And on top of that the TV is now BLARING. cause we have videos recorded on the DVR. Rayley came in and begged her daddy to turn on her favorite song.
ROckstar, by nickleback.
She knows all the words, and loves it more than badonkadonk by Trace Adkins.

Now there are 3 kids singing, if you can call it that. I dont see Nashville star in their future, at thetop of their lungs, Bow bouncing up and down squealing and I cant hear myself think.

Boy are they gona be pissed when I sent 2 of them into her room to get it cleaned back up. and one outside to clean out the backseat of my truck.
I also have to go out and check the cooler I sent Brett out to clean this morning. I have a feeling it aint no where near right.

I think I am gona go and eat. maybe they will watch the baby for a little while. I doubt it. But the phrase 'wishful thinking' wasnt coined for nothin.

seriously, the people in this house are nuts. Rayley keeps naming off songs she wants to 'see'. and everytime BR puts one on the DVR, she finds it on her MP3 player. Now its aint as good as I once was. and she has it about 1 minute later than the TV. She is listening to both. And fighting Bow for the MP3 player. He loves it. I guess I will have to get him one now.

Thats all I need, 4 kids with mp3 players ALL playing differnt songs. Thats what the 3 of them do now. and if they put on their earphones they sing, LOUDLY, the song the are listening to.

5 years, I predict in 5 years, I will be in a strait jacket. humming 'bitch' by alanis morcett or what ever her name is.


Now that is actually one song that is NOT on their MP3 players. But I plan to put it on mine. Just as soon as I can find the CD. Actually I dont have a MP3 player. But found out my phone can be one. VERY cool. I am loving my $1.00 blackberry more and more!! Best purchase I have ever made.

Its helpin to keep me semi sane. I can keep up with what I am supposed to be doing. schedule stuff and remember the mundane. Cause I never get to finish a project.

Seriously. Just now BR asked "just what are you doing?" I told him I was working on my website.
"well go to ebay and see if they have some bug screens for a peterbuilt."

yep, cause I am bored, and not doin nuthin.


I just wish the aircard would have worked. then I would be out of the dark ages and could actually Download something. I will NOT miss the days of zipping along at 24.6. I promise.


Oh I picked Matt up a new pair of boots yesterday. Had to. he has wore his slap out.
He was SOOO thrilled. put them on and aint took them off. He actaully asked me if he could throw away his chuckas. I told him NO. He couldnt. He could still use them for PE next year. "but I hate them"
"why?"
"you gota tie them"
ahhhhh... laziness..

He was showing them off to BR a little while ago. And BR was telling me he liked them. Then Matt said "do I have them on the right feet?"
BR said "did you put them on?"
"yes" he said.
"then no, probebly not" I answered.

Rayley looked down, and said. and I quote "you big dummy, aint you got the sense God gave a goat?, Even a 2 year old can put their shoes on the right feet" Then she looked at me, put her hands on hips and said "I reckon your just gona havta put them letters in them that says 'right and left you mo-ron' like you did his last ones."
Now all I put was a R and an L. But it didnt really work, till I wrote it on his feet too. That only lasted a few days. It was more of a joke than anything. But it did start him putting the L and the R in the right order.

and it aint cause he is dumb. He has HIA syndrome. BR says he got it from me. I disagree. and if you ever met his family you would too.

Now during all this he asked again if they were right. BR looked and told him yes.
He said "Guess mom is right, even a blind hog will find an acorn every once in a while".

MichealAngelo, Eat your heart out.

Well its done.

First I am going to let you see what I have been seeing for MONTHS. Oh I can make them go in and clean, it takes hours. and I have to holler alot. and it stays this way for about 10 minutes.







I cleaned. it took me hours, and 3 large black trash bags full of toys, and a kitchen garbage bag full of trash, but I got it looking neat. And I threatened them with in an inch of their lives.

They kept it pretty neat for the few days till I was able to round up enough help to paint it.

I convinced everyone to buy her pretties for her room. She already had some princess stuff. Matter of fact she had most of it. But it all looked so dull in that white room. well offwhite. Just no personality. And since we have lived here for 2 years and its where we are going to live for a while I decided it was time to make it our own.

I am basicly a very lazy person. I dont like to work. I will admit that. But I felt this needed doing. And now I have the bug. As money permits I will be doing the rest of the house. It will be a long time coming, but it will be worth it I think.

My sister in law and I, plus my neice worked for hours, days actually, to get it painted. Then I worked all day today.

I did have to take a slight break. When Matt woke up I asked him to watch Bow for me, while I slapped the last pink coat on. I had shut the bedroom door, because I had the window open. I heard Bow just a cryin. It went on for about 7 minutes. I was up on a ladder and Rayley came to the door. I told her to tell Matt to give him a graham cracker. Then I heard the front door open and shut. So I got down and went out and hollered at her. Asking her where she was going.
"down the road"
"WHY?"
"to find Matt"
I saw his little tow head in the bushes and hollered at him to get back to the house.
"But mom, Bow was safe."
yes he was. He had put him in his excersaucer.

Instead of beating him with in an inch of his life, hollering at him, or any of the other things that came to mind. I calmly went to the kitchen, got a chair, put it where you could ALMOST reach various snacks, ALMOST see the TV, and not talk to anyone.
I told him to sit.
NOT lay, SIT.
He was still there when his daddy woke up. and beggin to get up.
I waited a little while longer.

I visited with BR till he got up to take a shower, then I went in and did the flowers on the walls. There would be more flowers, but I ran out of purple. I sure hate that I did. I was just getting the hang of them. I had repainted a pink wall, touched up lots of purple, put two more coats on the dresser, and was almost finished. Boy did it look like a tornado had hit. BUT I am proud of myself. I managed to buy JUST enough paint. and had we not wasted some of the purple, I would have been set. As it is I have JUST enough for a touch up or two. Less than half a jelly jar.

BR hasnt said much, he just looks and nods his head. He did say I needed to put stems on the flowers, he says they look like fans with yellow dots. And noone will ever know what they are.
Speaking of which. I refused to buy an entire quart of yellow, so I had to get spray paint. Then I had to spray it into a paint roller pan and sponge it out. I am not sure how many brain cells I lost. ALOT if I am seriously considering doing the boys room.


Once I got it all done the clean up began. They kids were enlisted to help. This took FOREVER. I think we spent 3 hours getting everything back on the walls, all the furniture moved back into place and the trash picked up that I had found behind the dresser, TV stand and bed.

I also decided to paint the lightswith and outlet covers. Actually it was Brett's idea. They were stark white and it looked awful. He rememebered reading the spraypaint can and it said it worked on plastic, so we took them all off and painted them too.

Anyway, with out further ado, Here is what it looks like when Shrek invades Barbies neighborhood, eats everything, encounters Barney and then explodes.










Now, I am going to take a much needed break, wash my hair, pray I am not permanetly yellow, green, pink and purple, and get the REST of my house clean.

The painting has started. and its too late to turn back.

Got woke up at 8:03 Monday morning. I knew it wasnt a bill collector, they are not allowed to call before 8:30. Nope, instead I heard "Michelle, this is Sarah, I have a Hardware Store mysteryshop, its due today, can you do it?"
Now I hate doing mystery shops for this store. Cause here lately they have been sucking on the service. and you have to type up alot on them. Then she said "it pays 35.00"

So I decided to do the mystery shop. Heck, I had to go to the hardware store anyway. I needed tape to paint, and some sand paper.

I worked on the yearbook till around 3. and Bow got real cranky, so I had to leave and the other girls had to finish. I felt real quilty about that, but he wouldnt let me do any work anyway, and with such a tight deadline we were all on edge. Having a whining baby there wasnt doing anyone any good.

I went and did a little grocery shopping, and then to my shop. Then I rushed home. It was already after 5 and I had to pick up my neice and drop off my kids with my mother in law. Cause my other sister in law would be here soon to do the room.

I got the furniture moved around and in the middle of the room, fed Bow, ate a little bite and tried to make myself get up and get started.

This is why I really wanted my sister in law to help me. I just dont have motivation. BUT if someone is here, I will work my rear off.

And work we did. We started about 6. ANd the kids came home around 9. we were working at getting as much done as possible. We stopped at 2am with just a second coat on the doors needed, touch ups on 2 walls (green ones), a second coat on one wall (pink), the trim, and left the second pink wall half done.

I tried to stay ahead of them doing the trim, and then actually trimming out the walls, so the rolling was easier. I fell into bed at 3am. The alarm went off at 5:30. I didnt hear it until 5:59. I got up and turned it off and told myself that I better sleep while I can, I have to get up at 5:45 and wake the kids. They were going to daycare today for an outing to a pizza joint. Then it hit me. THAT had been the alarm.

So I got up and tried to convince them to get up. I tried twice. On the second try Rayley popped up. So I went ahead and got her dressed. She asked me why the boys wernt up yet, (they all slept here in the living room since I had her room all torn up, and their room was full of the crap I couldnt leave in her room.)
I told her they had ignored me, and I had told them last night I wouldnt keep at them to wake up. Brett immediatly jumped up.

Matt was still out. I decided to let him sleep. He will learn. Then the kids started to argue, Bow woke up and Matt pulled the covers down and told them to shut up. ANd asked me why noone would let him sleep. I told him it was his own fault. They were going to fun planet today.

He got up. He couldnt belive I hadnt woken him up. I tried to explain taht I had told him last night at 1:30, when he just WOULDNT go to sleep, that I would try once and that was it. Heck, I had tried twice.

I had to go and dig Rayley out clothes, her dresser was pushed up against her bed and the drawers faced the bed. I didnt plan that very well.

I managed to get them dressed and off. Then I tried to convince Bow to go back to sleep. Aparently it worked. I woke up at 10. I woke up and my first thought was I needed to call a friend of mine. I had really left her in a lurch yesterday with the yearbook. I was just sitting down with my Dr Pepper and the phone rang. It was her. She told me she had tried to call earlier. But maybe she had dialed the wrong number. I told her she must have. I always wake up if the phone rings.

We talked a little while and Amanda called, she was headed into town and wanted to know if I needed anything. She was coming over to finish helping me in the room as soon as she got back.

I sat around for a little while. Trying to rest up. And she showed up around noon. We got started shorly there after. At 6 she left. She has to work tomorrow. So that left me with a second coat on the pink wall, and a second coat on places, on the green wall.

I decided to do the green first, since we had painted the pink while she was here. There was BARELY enough to cover. I am still not sure I got all the spots. I ended up getting a spoon and digging the last of the paint out to put in a jelly jar. There is maybe 3 oz left. I guess I calculated that one pretty good. then I got up on the ladder and touched up in the corners and under the baseboard thing at the celing. I was literly scraping the bottom of the barrel for it. I have a feeling the purple will be the same way. I just need enough to get a few flowers on each wall. But I will be pushing it to do that.

The kids have been begging me to paint. So I relented. But first I got the sand paper and told them they would have to sand the dresser.

I wasnt going to paint the dresser today. or even this week. But then I got to thinking about it. The dark blue was beautiful, but in her new room it stuck out like a sore thumb. ANd if I didnt get it done TODAY, I knew that my lazines would win out and I would NEVER get it done. She would just have a Dark Blue dresser in a bright pink room. I also didnt want it pink. But I think it will work. Since its going against the green wall.

So, the kids got to sand and paint. They jumped on it like a chicken on a June bug. Then they realized sanding was a PITA.

I told them that unless they sanded they didnt get to paint. SO they did. Then I gave each one a brush and some pink paint. I wish I had done it purple. But I knew I wouldnt have enough purple paint if I did that. I had only bought a quart and it was almost gone. Those doors took alot more than I thought they would. I have GOT to find my paint chips. I will have to have more purple to do shelves with. and I want to match that one perfectly. If I cant find my paint chips I will have to pick a differnt purple, I guess I can go with a light purple. But with the other colors being so bright I didnt want to.

About the time I got them all settled in, told them NOT to get ANY pink paint on my green walls, showed them what to do and bitched about the paint runs, BR called. And Bow was already screaming. He wanted attention ... NOW>..

So I gathered up Bow and came in here for a few minutes to talk. When I went back in there Matt had pink paint all OVER the green wall, he had done an awful job, Brett had pink drips EVERYWHERE, and Rayley's actually looked GREAT. I cleaned up that mess, made the boys watch Bow, and then made them clean up all their painting tools.

While I had been talking to BR he mentioned that it was Tuesday. and he forgot his uniforms. Every week, on the same day he is supposed to turn in his uniforms for them to be washed.

Since I have done my share of laundry in the last week I was bound and determined to NOT wash these. I loaded them, the kids and myself up in the truck and drove the 8 miles to the yard. I threw them in the back of his truck and left a note on the windshiled.

The kids all walked in the door, went to the bathroom and went strait to bed, I kid you not. Rayley is the only one who got back up, and that was to kiss me goodnight. Bow had went to sleep on the way there, and woke up when we got home. But he just layed on the other end of the couch and played quietly with a toy. I was afraid he wouldnt go to sleep. But he eventually did.

I went back in and put a second coat on the dresser. Right as I was finishing up, the cat came in and stood on one of the drawers to stick her nose to the front of the unit. 4 paw prints and a nose print that I have to clean up now. It really needed a basecoat. But 3 coats should cover it. I hope. That and the flowers are all I have to do tomorrow. I am so excited to get it done. I hope it all dries good enough for me to get the room back in order. I cant wait to put up some pictures.

And now I have put my roller and brush in the freezer, put the lids on the paints, and have fallen alseep while I type this 3 times. I dont even have the energy for a shower. And my hair is pink. I leaned my head up against a freshly painted wall. sadly, it was one I had just painted. I cant even blame it on my sister in law.
BUT,
That would explain if any sentences are all screwed up, the more than normal typo's and any rambiling I have done.

The Princess' big day.

"I'm gona call it a night, I'll see you in the morning"
"Are you REALLY gona see us in the morning?"
"oh yea, I dont plan on leaving here before 10."
"are you sure?"
"yes, I am sure"
"well you know that Michelle wont be up too early"
"I know, I will still be here."

Then this morning I woke up and walked in here at 9:01 and he was gone. I swear, he just wakes up one day of his vist and regains his sanity and leaves.

We had a great party yesterday. The cake was ADORABLE! It was green and had pink flowers and purple trim. Rayley got all kinds of neat stuff. And everything that I wrapped I put a paint brush on it, or a paint roller and then the bow.
She got a big plush purple mushroom chair, a curtain thingy (not a long curtain but that little valance thing...??) that is pink with yellow, and green and purple crowns on it that say princess. She got her paint of course, a Disney Princess hamper, a nice little set of rings and earrings, a Bratz doll, A disney princess bike, her bling'ed walkie talkies, Money, Hanah Montana pj's, hooks for hangin things in her new room, a princess poster, princess stick up thingy's for the walls. and something I am forgetting I am sure! I even wrapped up the tray and roller set. and I made a slit in the plastic and put a dress up dress in there.

SHe had a blast. And I let her wear what ever she wanted. It was some kind of ballerina outfit.

We did have to go to town after the party and get BR some new boots. We opted to leave the kids and go at it alone. Just my dad, BR and I. Oh and Bow. We went and got the boots and ordered Matt a new pair. They are nice boots, hopefully they wont fall apart like his last ones.

Then we went to walmart and to eat. Bow ate 1/2 my baked potato, 5 crackers, a bowl full of banana pudding and half BR's cobbler. And washed it all down with tea and water. He had just had ice cream and cake at Rayley's party! I swear this kid can eat. he just had the best time while we were out. He was such a good baby. He was squealing and laughing and babbiling the whole time.

When we got back BR went and got the kids and everyone settled in for the night. We decided to watch a few movies. BR had picked out "no country for old men", "National Treasure 2", and "Rambo ... 87".. or is it "88"?

We watched no country for old men first. That is 2 hours of my life I will never get back. I LOVE Tommy Lee Jones. but ... Oh well. I should have known, very seldom do I agree with the awards shows or critics. I guess I just dont have the... insight as to what makes a great movie. One with a decent plot, begining and end, and a less confusing story line does good for me. Not to mention, I dont want to leave with more questions than when I started. If I wanted to 'think' while I watched a movie I would rent a discovery channel original.
This movie reminded me of a picaso painting. it was all disjointed, weird and made me feel kinda like I missed out on good drugs. But it does explain why Hollywood liked it.

Now National Treasure I really enjoyed. I was able to learn something (did you know there were 3 statue of libery's?, ), I enjoy all the Masonic refrences. I grew up in a Masonic family and BR is carrying on the tradition. Plus I got a few good laughs.

Rambo? Hell I dont know. He watched that this morning while I was working on the kids yearbook. and doing dishes. I watched the first ones at one time or another. Not all at once, but have caught parts through the years. I like action movies. But these just dont ring my bell. And its not the violence, I like violence. Heck, I LOVE the sheild. Dexter aint bad. and there are lots of movies that were 'violent' that I like.

I dont have a hard job on the yearbook this year. But its a tedious one. Its actually easy. I just have to put in the headline for the page, (in our case its Mrs. Jones' Class), the layout number, the number for any clip art, the border and thats it. 45 seconds worth of typing max. But it takes me over 5 minutes to load the one page and 2 popups. I kid you not. I am SOOO hating dial up.

We did go over to my mother in laws today. She wanted the kids to come over and clean up her yard. I think she was just coming to get the kids to let them play, but knew that they were having to help me do some stuff here. including my own yard. So she said she needed their help. I let them leave and then about 45 minutes later I drove over. Sure enough, they were playing. So I got them to get the work done. My other sister in law was going to come over with her riding lawn mower and mow.
She lives about 3 miles down the road.

Right about the time they got done cleaning the sister in law that lives with y mother in law said "OMG, she rode that lawn mower all the way over here". Sure enough, here comes Amanda down the lane on her mower. Suzie kept on picing at her and we were all laughing our butts off. Then Matt says "well look, its Bobby Boucher! WHere's my h2o?" I swear I about fell out of my chair.
That kid is quick.
Come to find out, Amanda had parked down the lane, cause its too hard to turn her truck and trailer around with all the cars there.

But belive me, I wouldnt have put it past her to have drove down on her lawnmower.

She has promised to come over and help me paint. She is off on Tuesday, but we decided to do it tomorrow, Just in case it takes longer than we think. Suzies daughter is also going to come and help. Since she is 15 we are hoping that she can paint circles around two old women twice her age. :)

I am excited. And the boys are beggin for me to do something for their room. I just dont know what yet. I have heard spiderman, John Deere, baseball, or just weird colors painte on the wall, all kinds of things out of them. I'm leaning towards a 'cowboy' theme, or hunting. I have already started writing notes on it. I need something that will grow with them. So thats the hardest part. plus on the camo one it will take a mural on the wall. ANd altough my mom is a great artist, I just dont know that she has the time to get it done. I dont want to wait months and months. If it cant be done in a day I reckon it would end up half done. :( everyone is just so busy.

Anyway, I have 9 more of these pages ot put in the computer. I might not write tomorrow since we will be starting around 6 painting that room. but I will bring pics as soon as I get them :)