Camera Critters #17

Jax just loves exploring our new backyard!

Teenage Woes

Daughter is having a tough time this summer. She adjusted to the move OK - and she's even looking forward to starting high school at my alma mater. But before school starts she's getting braces; so far she's had x-rays, impressions, and spacers, and now she has the bands on her lower molars. The rest of the braces and an expander go on August 11 - she's NOT looking forward to it. She hates dental procedures and everything associated with them. She thinks the dentist and orthodontist are evil men (they are actually quite nice). They've never done anything to hurt her, but it's just a thing with her. A thing I actually understand. But still a thing she has to deal with.

Also, this morning she had to go get a shot! She needed a Tdap booster before she can start school this year, so today was the day. Again, she was less than thrilled about it. Of course it was over in an instant and the only side effect is a little soreness. But it's not the way she would have chosen to kick off her weekend for sure.

Let's hope she doesn't have to endure any other torturous activities for quite a while! The anxiety may just send her over the edge!

Sincerely 'Fro Me to You - High School Dances

I'm starting a new Thursday meme - Sincerely 'Fro Me to You, originated by Kristen at We Are THAT Family. The idea is to post a picture and a story from your past - way back from your childhood or even just last year. I've been scanning those old photos, and here's my first submission:

In four short weeks, Daughter will be in high school. As fate would have it, she'll be going to the same high school that I graduated from 21 years ago. I loved high school. Well, most of it. I really came into myself in high school, transitioning from the awkward, skinny, geeky junior high student into the less-awkward, still skinny, but not-quite-as-geeky-because-I-was-on-the-drillteam high school student. My sophomore year I got myself a boyfriend, which, along with being on the drillteam, opened up a whole new social world for me. For two years we attended every school dance we possibly could. And because you could never wear the same dress twice, my parents bought a lot of dresses for me. Towards the end of our dating, thus our dance-attending, I was bored with dresses and we both wore tuxedos to the drillteam banquet. I was bored with him too, tho, so not long after that we parted ways.

My senior year I got myself a new boyfriend, and we went to four dances that year. And yes, I got four new dresses:

Homecoming

Christmas Dance

Drillteam Banquet

Prom

Don't you just LOVE 80's fashions???

My first thought as I looked over all these pictures was, "Gosh, how spoiled was I to get a new dress for every dance?" But then I realized that I would do the same thing for Daughter. I pray that she has a wonderful time in high school. She is already so much more self-confident than I ever was at her age, not at all awkward or geeky. I want everything for her that Bubba's Mom must have wanted for me. The future is bright, baby girl - put on your shades and have a ball!

Shocking and Disturbing....WWMD?

**Scroll down for Wordless Wednesday and other fun stuff you may have missed!

I am shocked - shocked I say! - at the number of grey hairs that are popping up on my head lately. I used to just have one or two here or there, but they are multiplying. Why must they be wirey and stand up in such an unruly manner? Why have they suddenly attacked my head this summer?

Even more shocking - and greatly disturbing - is the amount of hair that falls out of my head. Of course the grey hairs never fall out. Just the brown ones. But seriously, ya'll, it's a wonder I'm not bald. My bathroom floor is covered in hairs! Which brings me to this week's WWMD?

Martha would surely shudder at the sight of my bathroom floor, but I have discovered a nifty Martha-esque way to deal with it! Observe the hair dryer:

This hair dryer can be used just like a leaf-blower. You know, the kind the yard guys use to blow the grass clippings and stuff around. Over to the neighbor's yard, I think. But back to my hairy bathroom floor. The hair dryer can be used as a blower to gather up all those loose hairs into one big pile:

Then it's easy to just pick them up and throw them away! Or, perhaps, save them to make a wig with when I really AM bald. Brilliant!

What? Martha's rolling her eyes? She's just jealous she didn't think of it first.

If you want to play along - and you know you do! - leave me a link here and over at OK, Where Was I? so we can come by and see your hillbillity. It's a good thing.

Wordless Wednesday - Between a Rock and a Hard Place!

I tried really hard not to do this when I got my massage....

Come and play....everything's A-OK....

Can you name all the Sesame Street characters?

I only missed one! I LOVE Sesame Street - watched it growing up and then watched it with my kiddos. According to Dawn at BECAUSE I SAID SO, Sesame Street is launching a new website on August 11 that will feature over 3000 video clips of the show (who can forget the Ladybug Picnic and the Penny Candyman?). I can't wait to check it out!

Rested, Relaxed, Restored, and Rewarded!

I'm home from my weekend getaway, and it was wonderful. I ate delicious food, enjoyed the company of my friends, tried a couple of new drinks (a mojito, which was pretty good, and a coconut rum and Coke, which was delicious!), rode Chuck Norris' horse (totally serious - he donated the horse to this place about a month or so ago and I RODE CHUCK NORRIS' HORSE!), got my first massage ever (but not the last! It was heavenly!), learned some new cooking skills, tried Yoga, chilled by the pool, and yes, I took a nap! I learned some things about myself, restored my soul, and enjoyed just "being away from it all"! But I truly did miss Hubby and the kids (and those rascally doggies of mine!) so it was good to get home today. Two nights away from them was enough.

While I was gone, Well Behaved Krissy gave me this award!

Here's how it works:

1. When received, you may post the Premio to your blog.

2. Link to the blogger you received it from.

3. Give it to 7 bloggers.

4. Link to those 7 blogs.

5. Leave those seven bloggers a comment about receiving the Brilliant Premio.

So, here it is!

A. attached or single? attached for nearly 16 years to my sweet Hubby!
B. best friend? D...
C. cake or pie? both, please
D. day of choice? Sunday
E. essential item? chocolate
F. favorite color? blue
G. gummy bears or worms? neither - both are like chewing on rubber
H. hometown? Houston, Texas - born and raised here
I. favorite indulgence? pedicure, altho after this weekend it may have to be massages!
J. January or July? January - July is too damn hot!
K. kids? three - grown-up Navy Son, 14-year-old Daughter, and 11-year-old Little Son
L. life isn't complete without? my family
M. marriage date? November 25, 1992
N. number of brothers & sisters? one younger brother (Bubba!)
O. oranges or apples? apples - especially baked into pies!
P. phobias? elevators, airplanes
Q. quotes? "I can't worry about that today. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll worry about that tomorrow. Because after all, tomorrow is another day."
R. reasons to smile? God loves me just the way I am, stains and all, and I have an eternal address in Heaven with Him!
S. season of choice? I love Spring!
T. tag seven peeps! (see below)
U. unknown fact about me? I have 20/20 vision.
V. vegetable? I like most all of 'em!
W. worst habits? procrastinating
X. x-ray or ultrasound? ultrasound
Y. your favorite food? Bubba's Mom's meatloaf
Z. zodiac sign? Libra

I'd like to honor the following blogs, and award them a 2008 Premio as well...

1. My Life Is Based On A True Story (D..)


2. Jenny On The Spot


3. it's the little things


4. Pleasing Procrastinator


5. Whee! All The Way Home


6. The Misplaced Midwesterner


7. ilovegoaliesplits

Have a great week, everybody!

Camera Critters #16

Friday's Feast - Texas Style!

The Chef at the usual place for Fridays Feast is having some technical difficulties, so Texas Tanya decided that she'd come up with her own "Texas Style" menu of questions for this week. I'm a Texas Girl, so I'm all over it! Grab a glass of sweet tea and enjoy!

Appetizer

When was the last time you had some bar-b-que?

On the 4th of July we went to Red River BBQ - yummmmmmeeeeee!

Soup

How many pairs of cowboy boots do you own?

Four

Salad

Finish this sentence: Mommas, don't let your babies __________.

Mommas, don't let your babies grow up too fast!

Main Course

Name a song that makes you think of Texas.

Songs About Texas by Pat Green

Dessert

Cowboy hats - Black or White?

Black in the winter, white in the spring/summer! I think a cowboy can be mighty sexy in either one.

Thank you, Texas Tanya, for doing this this week! Ya'll have a great weekend!

Running Away From Home

You Are 65% Burned Out

You are very burned out. You need a huge break from your responsibilities, starting as soon as possible. And you need this time to reevaluate what you really want out of your life. Because you're working hard and going no where... and that would burn anyone out!

Are You Burned Out?

This weekend I'm getting away. But don't worry. I'll come back. I'm going to a weekend Summer Camp for Moms in the Piney Woods of Texas! How cool does this sound:

Join us for for a weekend of Adventure, Renewal, & Relaxation. Make your weekend as adventurous, relaxing, or creative as you want -- you choose your workshops and activities according to your interests. Experience outdoor activities: horseback riding, canoeing, nature walks, tennis, swimming, etc. Learn new creative activities: Scrapbooking, quilting, painting, pottery, culinary, gardening, & more! Relax! Get a massage, pedicure, read a book, sit in the sauna, or take a NAP! Other highlights include: Women's speaker & a Decadent Dessert Social. Rates include: overnight lodging, 3 buffet meals per day, & most activities.

I'm going with some friends from church - it is a Christian facility, but this is more of a relaxation weekend than a typical "retreat". We can do as much or as little as we want! I plan to do some horseback riding, hang by the pool, get a massage, and maybe try Yoga (I've never tried it before!). And yes, I'll even take a nap! Because I L.O.V.E. naps. And as long as I don't break out in the pox while I'm there, it'll be a great time!

Wordless Wednesday - Low Country

Good Golly, Miss Dolly

I am so sick of hearing about this stupid hurricane and it hasn't even made landfall yet! I swear, you'd think there was nothing else going on in the world, because Dolly is ALL the local media has talked about for two days now! Yes, I understand a hurricane is a serious thing. But it's not a big hurricane - only a Category 1 - and it's headed for Brownsville, which is WAY south of us! We will likely get some rain from the outer bands of the storm, but the way the news people are carrying on we should all board up our windows and hunker down! Puh-leez. The media creates a frenzy when it comes to hurricanes around here, and that is the exact reason why things like this happen:



P.S. No pox yet!!

Crappity Crap Crap

Bubba's Mom has Shingles. I feel SO bad for her - as if she hasn't been thru enough lately, now she has to deal with this! She's doing well, tho - she went to the doctor and got some medicine and it's not hurting her too badly.

Here's the kicker. I've never had chickenpox. Nope. Never. And I'm not immune because when I was pregnant with Daughter I was exposed, so my doctor did a blood test to see if I have the immunity and I do not. SO. I've been exposed again. For 38 years I've escaped the pox, so I hope I continue that winning record. Otherwise the next few weeks aren't going to be much fun.

(Why is it that when you start thinking about chickenpox or a rash you suddenly start itching? If I were blogging about lice my head would itch! Crazy!)

Camera Critters #15

Look what came with the new house! Critters! If you can't tell, that is a possum. There were actually TWO of them in the backyard the other night, but by the time I grabbed the camera and got out there, only this guy was visible (and he was hiding pretty well, thus the poor quality picture....). The other one was quite large, I tell you. Quite large. Gave me the willies. Ick. I don't care what anyone says (Misty Dawn!) possums are NOT cute!

WWMD? Episode 3

I haven't had time for an original What Would Martha Do? post this week since we're settling into our new home. In fact, Martha might be quite pleased with the way my house looks this week, other than the turd Tango left in Little Son's room the other day. But it's gone now, I promise. Anyway, I resurrected this hilarious e-mail comparing the way Martha does things, and the way Bubba's Sis does things. Whoever wrote this has me pegged!

Martha's way: Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of an ice cream cone to prevent ice cream drips.
Bubba's Sis' way: Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it, anyway!

Martha's way: To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Bubba's Sis' way: Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix. Keeps in the pantry for up to a year.

Martha's way: When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
Bubba's Sis' way: Go to the bakery! They'll even decorate it for you.

Martha's way: If you accidentally over-salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant 'fix-me-up.'
Bubba's Sis' way: If you over-salt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto: 'I made it, you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes!'

Martha's way: Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
Bubba's Sis' way: Celery? Never heard of it!

Martha's way: Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.
Bubba's Sis' way: The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust, so I don't.

Martha's way: Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Bubba's Sis' way: Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink! 'All' your pains go away.

Martha's way: If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
Bubba's Sis' way: Go ask that very cute neighbor if he can open it for you.

Martha's way: Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
Bubba's Sis' way: Leftover wine??????????? HELLO !!!!!!!

Be sure to stop by OK, Where Was I? for this week's WWMD? and leave a link there (and here!) if you're playing along. It's a good thing.

Wordless Wednesday - There's No Place Like Home

Home Sweet New Home

The Big Move is finally complete - we are IN! The past three days have been exhausting - it was hot hot hot (triple digits, no exaggeration) and we sweated sweated sweated (I think I peed twice all weekend!). But everything has been moved, most everything has been put away, and I even have my pictures hung and my kitchen organized. We LOVE the new house - it's our best house ever. I hope we get to stay here a L-O-N-G time!

Because I'm too damn tired to move again.

Camera Critters #14

Don't you just wonder what he's pondering?

Moving Day!

The day has arrived - Moving Day! We're packing up and moving house this weekend - a big whopping three-mile move, but to a gorgeous house that we're going to love. I don't know how long I'll be offline - hopefully just a day or two (last year when we moved I went 3 WEEKS with no Internet! Aaack!).

See ya'll at the new place!

Friday's Feast #49

Appetizer
When was the last time you had your hair cut/trimmed?

Last weekend! Here are before and after pictures (ignore the fact I have on no makeup):

(Yeah, I kinda like it better longer, too.)

Soup
Name one thing you miss about being a child.

I miss Christmas just "happening". I didn't have to do a thing - the decorations were all put up, the presents wrapped, the meals prepared - it all just "happened". Now I have to do all that stuff and the "magic" isn't there anymore. I miss that.

Salad
Pick one: butter, margarine, olive oil.

BUTTER! All good Southern recipes start with a stick of butter. Just ask Paula Deen.

Main Course
If you could learn another language, which one would you pick, and why?

Sign language - I have always thought it was so beautiful! In fact, Daughter is taking Sign Language in high school this year - it counts as a foreign language credit!

Dessert
Finish this sentence: In 5 years I expect to be…

the same age Hubby is now.

WWMD? Episode 2

It's time for another installment of WWMD? - a hilarious idea by Sarah over at OK, Where Was I? The idea is to post pictures from your home or surroundings that would make Martha scream. Or faint. Or throw up. Whichever.

I present to you - prepare yourself, Martha - the Hillbilly End Table:

And there goes Martha, fainted dead-away into the floor. Roll her away from that doggie pee-pee stain, will you?

Of course, this isn't an end table at all. It's a TV tray. You probably figured that out. The sad thing is, it is almost always there. Along with its partner in crime, Hubby's TV tray, which sits at the end of the other couch. You see, we're all about family here at the Bubba's Sis household, and we like to always eat our meals together as a family. But it would be a travesty if we were to miss any of our prime-time TV shows, so we eat - as a family! - in front of the TV. Good bonding time, I tell ya. Oh, I do occasionally fold them up and hide them somewhere if we're having fancy company or something, but then we just have to get them out again....so generally this is where they stay.

If you'd like to play along - and you know you do - leave a comment here and over at Sarah's place so we can all feel better about our Hillbilliness. Thankyouverymuch.

Wordless Wednesday - Canadian Cottage

Everything Old Is New Again

I'm still in cleaning and sorting mode here, getting ready for the Big Move next weekend. Today I cleaned out my closet and drawers - ALL my clothes and shoes and jammies and socks and undies and.....well, you get the picture. I am embarrassed to say that I found things that I completely forgot I had! I tend to wear the same things over and over - so much that Hubby starts calling my select 2 or 3 outfits my "uniforms". But after today I have a bunch of "new" outfits that I haven't worn in quite some time! And it didn't cost a thing! How cool is that?!? AND! I'm donating a huge pile of stuff to Goodwill, so some less fortunate people can have "new" stuff, too. Very cool, indeed.

Camera Critters #13

A critter at my favorite place - The Happiest Place on Earth!

Freedom

Is that anything like a jumbo shrimp?

Posted in my neighborhood:

Just how large is it?

Are you SURE it's a Chihuahua?

Hmmmm.....

A Blind Date Success Story

Back in the early 60's a pretty young woman and a handsome young man were set up on a blind date. The night of the date, the pretty young woman had a large cold sore on her lip, and she wasn't sure it was going to go so well. You know how blind dates are. They never work out.

But this one did. And they fell in love.

On July 3, 1965, they married. And the rest, as they say, is history.

That was 43 years ago. They've seen, done, and been through so much over those years, a list that could go on and on. But through it all they've been together, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. I, for one, am grateful to whoever set up that blind date!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BUBBA'S MOM AND DAD!

Wordless Wednesday - Happy Birthday, Navy Son! Happy Birthday, USA!

Rules of Royal

I'm sorting and cleaning this week, preparing to pack for our move. And I've found things that I forgot I even had! I cleaned out my desk and found a bunch of the kids' old school papers and stuff - and this priceless gem, a list Princess Daughter made when she was about 7 years old of the Rules of Royal (I tried to scan it but Blogger won't upload the picture, so I'm typing it just as she wrote it in her 7-year-old hand):

1. sit up straight
2. were nice clothes
3. aways were your crown
4. be wise
5. be creative
6. listen good
7. act good
8. take tiny steps
9. learn
10. look
11. have pets
12. ride in a carriage
13. have pretty horses
14. aways have a garden
15. have good manners
16. be nice to everyone

As I do most all of these things, surely I must be royal.