Retail Therapy

Ok, shopping for swimwear for teenage girls is tough! I really did not want to purchase a 2 piece for Mal, but I was starting to get desperate...most of the one-piece swimsuits were worse than the tankini's we were looking at.

So, Mallorye and I set out on a mission today...to find her a swimsuit that we could both live with. We finally found this one at Dillard's...paid more than I would've liked, but decided it was worth the sacrifice.


And no, Mal doesn't look quite that sexy in it and it has a removable halter strap that she WILL be wearing!

2nd mission of the day was to find an outfit to have her 16th birthday pictures made in...she had a pretty specific idea in mind, so we were up for the challenge and had resolved that we might even have to hand make the outfit...BUT we found the perfect outfit!! YEAH!!

The dress is a cute black and white halter poplin dress (you'll have to wait till she has her pictures made to see) and because Mal loves the funky look, she paired it with these great shoes for a punch of color and some hot pink hoop earrings!

And yes, they're 4" heels...which makes her long legs longer and puts her at 6'1"

It really was fun to hang out with my daughter. It won't be long and these opportunities will be far and few between.

Insanity of Summer

The insanity of summer begins today...

Today marked the end of school for Blake. He had his Awards Assembly today and walked away with Principal's List (all A's) for the 9 weeks and the semester AND he also received the Creative Writing award...I didn't even know he liked to write! Learn something new every day. So now both kiddos are home for the summer...well, sort of. I would like to think that we have a slow season at our house and that certain times in the year are more hectic than others, but as the children get older (now both teenagers) it seems it's just a constant parade of chaos. I'm teased about my dayplanner and obsession with lists and organization, but honestly, who can keep up with these schedules any other way?!

Just this evening, before church, I had the planner out...pouring over schedules...basketball practices, volleyball practices, baseball games (Blake made the All Star team, so we'll be playing through the 4th of July holiday), team camps, church camps, Mallorye's babysitting schedule...I mean really, it makes my head spin! We only have two children ... I cannot imagine how larger families do it (ever watch "Jon and Kate Plus Eight"? Crazy, I tell ya! Anywho, it should be an interesting summer to say the least. The bright side...Mal can drive by herself in 34days, so she'll be able to help out with carpooling some. Woo hoo!

Ok, so, just for kicks and giggles, I'm going to track our "day in the life" all next week and post about it the following. Give all of you MOPS a heads up on life with teenagers if you haven't quite made it there yet. You'll be privy to the chaos, schduling conflicts, see what works, and what doesn't work, and maybe some of you more seasoned mom's can give me some pointers on how to make this stage easier!

A sidenote before I sign off for the evening;
**our new A/C unit is being installed in the morning!! Just in time for the weekend! This makes me very happy! Extremely happy!!

Welcome Back Internet

Oh, I can't tell you how excited I am!! I have been a busy beaver today...working on our office/exercise room and getting our internet up and going at the house!! It is so nice to be able to check messages and blog from HOME!!! It is definitely the highlight of my weekend...(I know that sounds pathetic)...so how about an update?

Friday, as you all know, my baby graduated from the 6th grade. We had no ballgames Friday evening, so we went out to eat as a family at TaMolly's (one of Mallorye's favorite restaurants). It really was great to just sit and relax and laugh together. Mallorye and I went with one of my friends, Misty, to a Stamp Camp. Actually, Mal went to hang out with Micah...Misty and I went to get away for some girl time. We made some really kewl projects you can check out on my friend Lisa's Blog.

Saturday was official work day ...although the guys somehow got out of that one. Quentin took Blake fishing while Mallorye went and babysat for Misty...which left me home for the official work day. Oh well, I was able to get all rooms clean with the exception of the dreaded office/exercise room! I worked hard all day even though the heat was starting to get to me. Oh, I haven't mentioned that...we still DO NOT HAVE AIR!! Hopefully, the insurance company will issue a check this week and we can have our unit installed. The Arkansas temp is now in the 90's most days and humid.

We spent Sunday morning at church. It was my weekend to sing which means up bright and early to be at church by 7am for warm up and sound check. Quentin and Blake came later for the 9:30 service and had lunch ready for us when we got home at 12:30. Our small group started the Homebuilders Series, "Defending The Military Marriage" and we ordered pizza instead of heating up the house with the stove. I have to say Kevin & Kim (our small group) were good sports about not having air. We will definitely meet at the church next week if the unit isn't installed by then.

Quentin had to go into work for a few hours this morning to open the pool up and he let me sleep! I slept in until 8am, which isn't that late, but better than my normal 5:30. After breakfast, I started in on the office. This is going to be a process...guesstimating about 2 weeks to get it completely organized and finished...but so worth it! The guys went fishing and took Q's dad with them and Mal helped me in between birthday planning. The kids have now gone to Q's parents to spend the night and get out of the heat for a bit, so it's going to be a quiet night with the hubs.

That sums up our weekend. Maybe now that the computer is up and running I'll have some more interesting posts...being able to think and all...lol. Hope you all have had a wonderful weekend! Take time to extend a thank you to those serving our country and those who have served in the past.

Blake's Graduation

Eight long years came to an end today....my "baby boy" graduated from Middle School. I am so proud of him! I know eight years sounds odd, but that's how long it took for us to get here.

Blake started Kindergarten when he had just turned five against the advice of his Preschool teacher. Oh, how I wish I had listened. He struggled a bit that first year, but it wasn't until 1st grade that we really noticed he was behind. Even though he managed to make B's and C's...and even some A's....we made the difficult decision to hold him back in 1st grade (hence the 8th year). That was the best decision we ever made for him...hands down. The next few years Blake flourished and by the time he was in 5th grade he was making all A's! He graduated today as one of the top in his class of 208 students!

All year Blake has had the privilege of putting up and taking down the flag outside the Middle School and today he was given the honor to present our Nation's Colors for his graduation ceremony. Definite proud mama moment!

Socially, well...we all know how that is! LOL! He's quite the social bug!! I'm expecting Jr. High to be a time for him to really let his personality shine.

It was a bittersweet day, but one that was full of joy at seeing all that Blake has accomplished. He still has a few more days of school and his Awards Ceremony is next week, but we officially have a 7th grader!

*note...I promise I'll post pictures soon!!

To Move Or Not To Move...

...that is the question!

Today's verdict is to stay put. Our landlord is putting in a new central heat and air unit, so we're thinking that might elleviate the high utility bills...which is the only reason we want to move.

We've looked at several housing options and nothing has said.."this is home,"...so the verdict seems to be to wait and see if the new unit makes a difference.

I really love the house we're in. It's plenty big enough, in a great neighborhood, and we're settled there.

What do you think? Am I being schizophrenic??! LOL!

Goodbye to a Beloved Friend...

This weekend I had to say goodbye to one of my dearest friends.

This friend has been my confidante the past two years.
Gone to work with me.
Caught countless tears.
Gone to church with me.
Sat in doctors offices with me.
Brought me comfort at my most desperate times.
Made me laugh out loud.
Challenged me.
Stayed up late and gotten up early with me.

And so much more!

My red and white Bible that I purchase when Q deployed to Iraq. I'm so sad! I left it outside at the Prayer Wall at church on Mother's Day and it rained on it. It is completely ruined!! One of our pastor's tried to dry it out, but to no avail. I'm going to try to at least transfer my notes to another Bible, but this one was so special to me because of the time in my life it represents. Maybe it was time. But right now, I'm mourning the loss of my dear friend.

A Meme' (and one of these days I'll know what that means)

Andrea (and several others) have participated in this fun meme' and I thought it was pretty interesting...so here it goes...

What was I doing 10 years ago...
I was finishing up nursing school and trying desperately to repair the damage to our marriage. Blake was having his 5th surgery. This was a definite low point in our life, but I wouldn't trade it. It definitely made me a stronger person and helped me realize that I can do nothing without God!

5 Things on my To Do list...
*purchase graduation gifts
*take Blake to basketball practice
*call Q's parents to check in
*update blog (doing now)
*laundry...always!!

Things I'd do if I were a billionaire...
Pay off all our debt, along with our parents. Purchase our first home. Set up an awesome savings for our children. Spend the summer in Africa as missionary family. And so much more!!

3 Bad Habits...
*not eating breakfast
*not washing my face before bed
*being too transparent

5 Places I've Lived...
*I've lived in the same town my entire life (but on different streets)

5 Jobs I've Had...
*Server at TCBY (yummo!)
*secretary for an attorney
*checker at Price Chopper (my fave!)
*pest control technician for Orkin
*secretary for construction company

5 People I Want To Know More About
Everyone...my children, my husband...some have blogs, some don't. I just want to be more aware of the people around me.

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about me. Feel free to play along! And be sure and let me know if you do!!

Weekend Update

Well, I think I'm on my way to recovery! I really thought I was going to have to cancel on my Girl's Night Out, but as you can see...I managed to "suffer" through it!! We (Lisa, Amy, and myself) had a blast catching up. We went and ate at the quaintest place...SanFrancisco Bread Company. This is a great hang-out for the girls! Great atmosphere, great food, and had it not been for the tornado that passed through (literally!!), it would've been totally stress-free!!

Me, Lisa, and Amy

Lisa posing with the "chef"

My turn...couldn't help adding a sense of humor

I think Amy was a tad embarrased....but I think she had let go of her inhibitions by the time we got to the mall

Trying out some exercise equipment at Bed, Bath, & Beyond

This was a great night! I can't wait to hang out again...SOON!! When I'm feeling better!!

Mother's Day was crazy!! We received a phone call during church from the armory that Q was mobilized to help with the tornado disaster in South Arkansas. This weather has been horrible around here! He had an hour to get his stuff together, so needless to say, we missed most of the sermon. He'll be home hopefully by the weekend and I guess we'll celebrate then. The kids and I spent the afternoon at my mom's and then I crashed...early...

I hope you all had a great Mother's Day!

*note (all pictures courtesy of Lisa)

Military Spouse Appreciation and more!

First, it's National Military Spouse Appreciation Day...so to all you spouses...may God bless you! Thank you for your service to our country that often times goes unnoticed! Do something nice for yourself!!

To all the mothers out there...Happy Mother's Day!

I'm really not liking having internet service at home. How can I stay in touch with my blogworld friends? I feel like I've missed so much this week. Let me give you a few updates on our week...

The house. So, we went and looked at the house. Love, love the location and yard. It's a brick home with a decent sized yard. Not too big. Not too small. It has two huge shade trees and a couple of smaller trees, great for climbing or stringing up a hammock. There's a small creek at the back of the property that I think Blake would just love!! The living room and the den were absolutely huge and the den has a fireplace. Loved both of these rooms! The kitchen? Did not love so much. It's stuck in the 70's, but with some paint and some creative homemaking, I could live with it. We would have to purchase a cupboard, as cabinets are not very plentiful. The main bathroom was ok...except it's carpeted. Who puts carpet in a bathroom? Don't they know kids (big and small) like to splash?! It has that 70's feel, but much less than the kitchen. The would-be Mallorye's room was small, but plenty of room for her things and had the best closet. It is in desperate need of paint...at present it's a putrid green with Sponge Bob wall border! Thinkin' she wouldn't like that too much. The would-be Blake's room is a little larger, but the closet was smaller and it has eggplant colored carpet. I actually think I could make that work with his camo bedding and DU prints on the walls. The master bedroom has very stained teal carpet and only ONE CLOSET!! That wouldn't work...would definitely have to purchase a wardrobe or something. The master bath was great though. Ceramic tile floors and a built in make-up table. There wasn't a linen closet either, so not sure what to do there. All the windows were metal frame and mildew was a problem. It didn't look like the previous tenants were very clean. Definitely potential with a good cleaning and a complete paint job...ceilings and walls. We're still thinking about it. The price is good, location is great...just needs a few touch ups. Also, there's a mother-in-law house by the carport that an elderly widow lady lives in. I see lots of potential for us to minister in that area and I like that idea...plus we already know a few of the neighbors...they go to our church!!

Ok, in other news...I missed work again yesterday. The allergies turned against me and I have bronchitis and was on my way to pneumonia. I went to the sick call yesterday and the doctor gave me first every shot of steroids and put me on a steroid pack, an antibiotic, an inhaler, cough medicine, and Zyrtec for these nasty allergies! I've never taken so much medicine!! And, I've never had steroids...oh what fun that has been!! The doctor was so encouraging. He said, "I've not been a doctor long, but I'd say you're sick." Nah, ya think?! I'm feeling some better today. My heads clearer, but my breathing is still labored. I came in late to work and plan on leaving early.

Mal is leaving for a leadership retreat this afternoon and will be back tomorrow afternoon. Blake has a baseball game tonight that I'm hoping I can go and watch. I missed last nights game...too damp and too much pollen! I have plans to go with some girlfriends to dinner tomorrow night, so pray I'm feeling up to par by then.

Ok, that sums up the big stuff. Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

Still Breathing

Hey everyone! I'm still alive...I bet you were wondering after my last depressing post! LOL!

I've changed our internet service at home and we've yet to get it up and running, so I have to resort to stolen moments at work to catch up. The laptop is going to have to have some work done before we can use it... a little frustrating, but I'll survive!

Brief update;
I'm feeling better emotionally...Q and I had a long talk that alleviated most of my fears, which were a huge contributor to my bad moods lately. I kicked myself in the pants on Monday night and went to Bible study to spite the fact that I hadn't done any of my lessons for the week, was totally unprepared, and really didn't want to go. I'm so glad that I did! I can tell that those ladies are praying for me. I ended my day yesterday in God's Word and started this morning the same way...that has helped tremendously.

As for physically, I'm not feeling so hot. My allergies are really acting up, so my ears, throat, and head are hurting. The good news...if you chop off my head, I feel fine!

Q and I are going to look at a house to rent this afternoon. It's similar in size to the one we're in now, but the utilities are rolled into the price, which for us is a deal. It's closer to the kids school in an older neighborhood, but a quaint one. I'll let you know how that goes.

Ok, guess I need to get back to work...my report is about finished running on the printer. Talk to you soon.

Me And My Bad Mood

Do you ever just have one of those weeks that no matter how hard you try, you just can't seem to be in a good mood? My overall mood has just been crummy for 2 weeks now. I'm tired and cranky to say the least. I've cried three times this week over nothing...over everything. I have that "impending doom" feeling and I just can't seem to shake it. What is wrong with me!!! Every night when I go to bed, I tell myself that tomorrow, I'm going to be better...better day, better mood, better person...but so far...I'm not. And I'm pretty tired of it. I just want to wake up with a new attitude...feeling fresh and back to my spunky self. This really isn't like me to have this many "bad days" in a row.

Ok, I know I've rambled and I'm sure you guys are tired of my bad moods and depressing posts...so, signing off.