Fall, Bama & the Cubbies.

For those of you blessed enough to live in the Midwest, you are surely feeling the heat that I continue to feel. I look around and can't believe that next week is October and we still have our a/c on. More because of my allergies than for the heat. Soon the farmers will be harvesting their crops and all the trees will turn their beautiful colors before losing their leaves.

I am amazed by the colors I am seeing (burning bushes are just starting to turn) even with the weather so warm. Isn't it cool that God made the trees so that they would know exactly when it was time for them to rest for the winter? I think He made me that way too.

So, in honor of the fall that we will soon see. I made soup and chili for supper. The girls aren't fond of chili so I made them soup. I also whipped up a batch of banana bread (with chocolate chips because EVERYTHING is better with chocolate) so the house would smell really good.

Can you smell it? Yummo!

Count them, two nights in a row at home. I think it is a record for us in the last 4 months.

I have been watching football with my hubs. We are switching between the Penn St. Illinois game and the Georgia Bama game. ROLL TIDE! Show of hands, who wore white in honor of Bama today? Sorry if you are not a football fan but my bloggy buddy, Jen, over at dust bunny hostage got me started on Bama and I must be a good fan and plug them whenever I can. At the moment, they are winning. YIPEE! Only 7 minutes left, which means the game will be over in about 30 minutes.

While I am on the plug for sports, I must mention that my beloved Cubbies won their division this week. While I have not been able to spend much time watching baseball this summer because of all the softball games, I am a lifelong fan of the Cubs. I am realistic about the chances of them ever winning the world series. My hopes are always high but I am never surprised when they completely blow it. My hubs and I have a bit of philosophy regarding the Cubs. They will be playing the 7th game in the world series and the winning run will be on base. The batter hits the ball and bam - the Lord returns and takes us home to be with Him - thus leaving the Cubs without another championship! Just a joke so please no throwing of popcorn or other food items (unless it is chocolate of course). If you are a Cardinal fan, you are forgiven and I will have to try to convert you.....in time.....you will be assimilated (a line from the borg on Star Trek if you are not a Treky).

TOUCHDOWN!

Sorry, but I have to keep you updated in case you are watching something more important like the news or something! It is very important that I keep you updated don't ya think! Otherwise, how would you know?

Touchdown, Georgia :{ 3 minutes to go.

Our high school football team finally won a game last night. They beat my alma mater. I thought it would be fun to go to that game but was SO tired that I just stayed at home. FYI, remember the game we played last week that we lost? One of the boys ended up in the hospital with a cracked rib and a bruised spline. OUCH! How was there NOT flags on some of those plays? On the up side, the sophmore boys beat their sophmore guys. Their coach got thrown out of the game and their were many unsportsmen like conduct calls against their team. Apparently the varsity team is able to hide their conduct a bit more than the sophmores.

Touchdown, Georgia :{ 1:35 to go.

BAMA WINS!! I can rest easy tonight and smile tomorrow ;}

Hugs and blessings on your Sunday.

Jeanette

My Unspectacularness

I've been tagged by my darling sister, Julie. So I better get to it before I totally forget (it has been one of those weeks).

Rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you. (check)
2. Post the rules on your blog. (doing that now)
3. List 6 unspectacular quirks you have. (that is going to take some thought)
4. Tag 6 bloggers by linking them. (bending the rules on this one) open to anyone that wants to do it!
5. Leave a comment on each taggee's blog to let them know they have been tagged. (You have all been tagged. How's that!)

I am sure you will be amazed and totally surprised by my unspectacularness. Here goes:

1. I am a brunette and I just recently had to start coloring my whole head to keep from going gray. (no snickers out there!)
2. I LOVE reading (books and blogs). My kids think I am crazy but I love to take myself to other worlds.
3. I love getting mail with my name on it!!
4. I get annoyed by loud noises - inside voices folks.
5. My toes get cold even in the heat of summer. We still have our a/c on but my tootsies are still cold. I know, I'm weird!
6. I have recently begun to collect handbags. Some day I hope to add a Dooney & Bourke and a Brighton purse to that collection. That is a high aspiration don't ya think?!

So there you have it folks.

I know.

I'm boring!

We have had a crazy week and I was so happy that today was Friday. We need to rest this weekend but it is not to be.

Today I spent the morning watching 6-12 month olds at Mops at church. Right after I went into the office to help put the bulletins together for Sunday. Left church and headed to work. Last week I could not give cakes away and this week I can't keep them on the shelves. The display looks only about half full. I got two special order cakes done and 9 cakes for the display done before heading to pick up Gabs from volleyball practice. She was finally released from the disabled list and is clear to play. Today was her first official practice. She was feeling the workout today. As soon as we got home I started supper (steak & baked potatoes - yummo!). Gabby helped me wash and clean out my car while Abby mowed the grass and my hubs trimmed up our tree in the front yard. Gabby wanted to go to the football game tonight so her friend picked her up and I started working on my hub's car. I finally finished the cars and came in to finish up some laundry and get it folded and hung up before I totally collapsed on the couch. And that is were you find me tonight. I am ssssooooo tired and we have to be up by 7am to get the girls to practices in the morning. That means signing off and getting to bed before my head bangs on my computer from bobbing up and down in partial sleep mode.

Love & hugs to all!

Jeanette

14 Freshman and Nature............

Yesterday, I volunteered to be a chaperone for an all freshman field trip.

It was a moment of weakness.

I knew nothing about the details of the trip when I signed up but I have yet to REALLY hate any of the trips I have taken with the school so far. That includes the trip to the county prison. Yep, they take all the 8th graders to tour the county prison. I guess they figure they might as well introduce some of them to their future residence (did I say that out loud?)

Any hoo, we headed out yesterday morning for the boy scout camp about an hour away from the school. The kids were going to spend the day split into groups of about 13-17 kids doing team building exercises. Great idea for these guys....

But not so sure it was good for 14 year olds.

Gabby had warned me that my group had some trouble makers in it.

GREAT!

I get to be the nagging mom on a field trip! I'll be well loved.

We finally get there and get started in our first area. The kids are supposed to play extreme frisbee. Sooooo, the boys played and the girls stood in the middle. Great start!

Eventually we get to other areas and the day continues with much complaining....

I'm hot, why did we have to wear jeans, when is lunch, when are we leaving, why did we have to come here, is it almost time to go home, I'm thirsty. On and on and on and on.......

The kids did finally start to work together but not without much encouragement from the adults in the area. I heard that other teams did great - my team was not one of them.

By the end of the day and we are all lined up for dinner (God bless them that they catered a meal for us before sending us home) we were all tired, sweaty and ready to go home.

I discovered many things from my day with freshman.....

many of them think VERY highly of themselves
testasterone was everywhere
very few put others before themselves
they really are not much different than 3 years olds when it comes to obedience
they will give adults they don't know the look of death (you know the one, you did it when you were a teenager)
respect for authority is next to none

I also discovered something about myself......

I am not so found of nature. I love it while standing in my home and looking out but please don't make me stay outside in the sun with bugs buzzing around me while all the seasonal stuff flies around me. It just makes me itch!

Also, I firmly believe that ALL bathrooms no matter where they are located should have a sink and soap! That is right folks. The whole time we were their we found 1 bathroom that had a sink and soap. All the rest had just a toilet and I was just praying that a snake did not slither through as I was using the facilities.

Yes, you can say it....

GROSS!

So, with Abby going into 9th next year am I going to sign up to go next year?

Not even going there right now - we have to get them through the prison trip first. We may have to leave half of them there. Not sure that would be a bad thing :}

Hugs!

Jeanette

I feel your pain!

I am dedicating this post to my blogging buddies that have had a rough week.

Sarah at Life in the Parsonage and Mama Belle at The Bayou Belles have had a rough week and sweet Mimi at Palm Trees and Blue Skies has had a rough day.

So this post goes out to you fine ladies that have better weeks and days.

I love all my bloggy buds and don't like to see them hurt, sick or completely drained.
Because, of course, that might keep them from blogging and then what will I do.

Because it is all about me right?!

I thought you gals may need a laugh tonight so I chose this one. I hope you enjoy!



Hugs!

Jeanette

Thanks Patrice, Ya'll come on into my home!

I need to thank Patrice.

This sweetie gave me a beary sweet award.

THANK YOU PATRICE!!!

I'm supposed to nominate 6 other blogs to send this award to but I can't decide who to send it to ssssssoooooo, I want all my readers to grab the award if it hasn't already been awarded to you.

The rest of my day was pretty boring.

Groceries, house cleaning and laundry.

While I was cleaning today I decided that it was time to show my blogging buddies my home. All pictures were taken AFTER the cleaning had been done :}

Wouldn't want ya'll to think that my house is always this clean. Cause it is definitely not!!

Spare bedroom. The bed is my sisters from when she was little. I have stripped and painted and stripped and polyed it a natural wood. I LOVE IT!!

Abby's bedroom



Gabby's room

Master bedroom

Office

Sunroom

Family Room

Dining Room and Kitchen

We have a finished basement. This is the theatre seating and tv.

This is my hubs workout area.

Yes, we have bathrooms but no need to publish those!

Hope you enjoyed the tour and thanks again to Patrice.

My hubs just got home so it is time to spend some time with him.

Hugs!

Jeanette