Bloggity, blog, blog

(This is where I would normally insert some excuse(s) for not blogging since October, but phfft.)

Winter is finally upon us. We lucked out at not having any major snow since November-ish. Of course, that meant a brown Christmas. Sad face.

Have I mentioned I got a part-time jay-oh-bee? Yep. I went back to work. Marketing Coordinator. I'm the department head of a department of one. I'm a good boss. I should give myself a raise.

Since I have all of this fun money now, I've been eyeballing a new-ish car. I love my Pacifica. It runs fine and looks great, but I think it is time. I had my Shadow for six years, my Stratus for eight years and my Pacifica for six years. This is what I took for a test drive...




I love it, but the salesman BSed us with a list of things their mechanic guy found wrong with my trade in. Our mechanic took that list, checked my car and said that the majority of the stuff on the list wasn't bad enough to worry about, a couple of lines that were "wet" were totally "dry", and to fix everything would run about $1,300. I asked if it were his car, what would he fix. He said the only two things that needed fixing and we figured it would be less than $600 to get it ready to sell. We are taking it in next week and then putting it up for sale. We had it detailed a couple of weeks ago and it looks suh-weet! So, we will see.

No other great changes have been happening. The Boy is doing pretty awesome with his piano and school. Shorty started his first Senior year at State University. (He has to go five years with his major.) The Commander is going to community college again. He is loving his GI money. Tall Dog is good. Short Dog is still having allergy problems. We switched to no-grain, no-meat (just fish and veggies) food, but he is still licking like crazy. Cat is still nutso.

Update

First of all, thank you for being so patient on my clear lack of posting as of late. I started a new, part-time job as a marketing coordinator for a nursing home/assisted living center and that keeps me busy three days a week. The other days, I'm trying to run the household and that can wear a person out! Plus there are Boy Scouts (Wanna buy some popcorn? Let me know.), piano lessons, book club, bowling, church ladies, music boosters, etc, etc, etc. I'm tired just thinking about it.

If it makes you feel any better, I've been neglecting my treadmill as well. I got on it this morning, the first time in about a month, and at minute 55, my left knee told me it was done. I made it keep going another five minutes and it feels fine now. I guess it was just out of shape! :)

Last week, I weighed in and had lost 30 pounds! The Commander told me he would take me back to New York City if I lost 30 pounds and I did! Now we will see if he holds up his end of the bargain.

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This is the newest and exciting-est thing going on here.

We bought this land behind our house and are filling it up. We've planted 50+ trees and have built The Boy a huge "Fort" in one corner. Now, we are getting a storage barn.

This is the area it will be erected (heheheheh).



And this is what thousands of dollars will get you.



Doesn't look like much, does it? I'll post photos as we go along so you can see my new skating rink in progress.

Time, time, time

This summer has flown past!

It started out a little slow, but then it gained huge momentum.

The Boy is now officially a Boy Scout and, boy, are those guys busy. Meetings every week, camping, food. A bunch of them just got back from hiking in the Black Hills and on Sunday, a different set of them (The Boy included) are heading up north for a week-long camp. This will be his first parentless Scout camp. We bought a nifty new Coleman cot and I now get to pack and pack and pack everything up for the trip.

Last week, he was at church camp and Shorty was away at Army camp for the past month. They are now both home and we are still trying to get caught up on the laundry!

Yesterday, I chaperoned the school band to the amusement park. It was fun, but it is hard because I like the roller coasters and big thrill rides and The Boy likes the smaller, less thrilling rides that go round and round. I can't do round and round. I ended up not riding much just so we could spend more time letting him ride the things he wanted. Oh well, I guess that is what parents do for their chirrun.

I have to finish writing a grant, work on a video presentation for a memorial service and get a package in the mail today. Boring, but needs to be done. That will free me up next week to party like a rock star!

Woot!

Conversation with my son

Kissing him goodnight after he had a fun-filled day at the pool.

Me - You smell like the pool.

Him - You smell like a mom.

Me - What does a mom smell like?

Him - Weird perfume and sweat.

???????

Product Review

If you know me at all, you know I'm an advid reader. I read a lot. A whole lot. I joined Good Reads two years ago and have 161 books listed so far! So when Mom Central asked if I would be interested in reading and reviewing a book, I jumped on it.

The book I was sent is titled Beside Still Waters by Patricia Goyer.

(From her website - Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she's ever known.

When Marianna's family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.

As Marianna struggles to find "home", she also encounters God in intimate ways.)

Marianna's older brother has left the community for an English life and her younger siblings are becoming more and more drawn to the English ways as well. Hoping to get them away from those influences, her Mem and Dat pack up the family and move to Montana. While Marianna doesn't have to go with them, she feels an obligation to her family. She packs up and moves away from everything she has known. Including Aaron. The man she thought she would someday marry.

I have always enjoyed reading books about the Amish and their ways. This book was not the "typical" Amish book to me. I guess I have never thought about the Amish moving away from their hometowns and being more integrated with the English.

Ms. Goyer's descriptions of Montana as seen through Marianna's eyes was spot on. I could imagine her coming from the relatively flat plains of Indiana to suddenly coming upon newness of all of the streams and mountains.

It made me sad to see Marianna struggling against everything she was raised to believe now being just a bit different. She also struggles with herself and her inner turmoil of starting to question her parents and their decisions.

I very much enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading the next installment of the Big Sky Series!

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I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the Beside Still Waters Campaign and received a copy of the book and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

I've been ignoring my blog.

Patches shows her disapproval.



Time sure flies when blah, blah, blah.

So this happened...

The Boy's car is in the #6 spot.



It won Scouts' Choice!



My car. It didn't win anything.



And we went here.



And here.



And then I did this because I'm a twelve year old boy.

Winter won't leave

Sometimes, winter is nice.

Where there is snow you can go out and play in until Scotch wears out!



Where twenty year old young men love to pelt anyone in sight with snowballs!



Where eleven year old boys play until they are soaking wet!



Then? This happens...



Winter thumbs its nose at you.



And branches start plummeting out of trees.



Not nice, winter. Not nice.