One more hobby to add to my resume

YUP! I made paving stones. Don't hate. This 3 day process is a patience game. But, I WON! 3 more to go, which equals 9 more days of waiting, and winning!

BUBBLES!

Kids love bubbles. Kids love grandmas. When you put the 2 together. UTOPIAN BLISS occurs!

Memorial Day Madness

Joe and I are pursuing the art of yard work. There is a lot of hemming and hawing from one end, but I gotta keep busy and our yard has been neglected for far to long.

Summers sometimes drive me nuts, because instead of teaching, I create a mile long to-do lists. Then I get anxious about doing them.
On this weekend's Honey-you-better-get-this-crap-done-now list were the following tasks: finish staining the already 2/3 done massive deck, organize cupboards/garage, set paving stones in the front curb-appeal graden, reset brokem tile in basement, complete ALL laundry, semi clean house, and relax with friends...
We got all done but the deck! As Ava says flamboyantly "WAHOO!"
It rained 3/4th of the long weekend, so no stained deck for you! But I do have before and after picks of the rest.
If you can't tell which is before and after shots, keep it to yourself. We're Proud Memorial Day Weekend Workers!

1 Hot mom with a side of bling bling

Ava doesn't like to wear her Princess earings, but mom always volunteers to wear them, and the rings, and the necklace...shoes don't quite fit.

Ava turned 3...Remember when

Ava's happiness
Not much has changed with her over all personality. She is still bossy and tries to do what she wants when she wants it, but I just can't help bringing back some good ol fashion Ava maemories. She started creating them at a real young age.

She will be a hard one to raise. So far the trick is give her lots of space, let her reak havok, then watch her slowly clean it all up, occassionally helping, then cuddle. VERY HIGH MAINTANENCE.

Don't feel bad for Percy, She wanted to go

On our Easter vacation, we decided to take the car to save on gas. Percy insisted that she come to. I think she looks more miserable than she's leading on... silly teenagers.

No one told me I looked like HITLER

I'm not sure how long I had looked like this. I only spoke to one person, but he didn't see to think it was important to point out to me that I had a blue strip on my lip. We were laughing and talking in the driveway, in broad daylight.
Joe takes one good look at me and stiffles a giggle, than salutes me like I'm Hitler. I asked him, why did you just do that? He giggled some more. I walked to the bathroom. Sho enough, there was my blue Hitler stash. Some friends are better than others.

On a slow day, how to eat a sausage!

A timeless Classic

If you're wondering where I've been the past 3-4 days, I've been dying.
Day by day update
Day 1: last Tuesday "What's this on my ear, it hurts and looks like a big ol zit. Weird I better go get this looked at.
Day 2: Status: infection on my ear, prescribed Ceptra a sulfuric antibiotic
Day 3: medicating and normal, wearing hair down to hide grossness
Day 4: Poured rain all day, I wore hair up, still medicating, feel gross
Day 5: Medicating and infection slowly leaving, wear hair up, fell less gross
Day 6: A.M. super tired and shopped for pavers for my new curb appeal garden, JOe rejectes idea, he wants square pavers. I want round. I huff off to car
Day 6 P.M.: started to feel sick, took temp 99 degrees. Wanted to go on date with Joe, so I sucked it up and we had a great dinner. I find painful bump on the back of my other ear.
Day 6 P.M.M.: Temp now 101 went to bed sweating, woke up 2 hours later shivering uncontrollably. Tossed and turned all night due to pain on the back of my ear
Day 7: still have temp, it fluctuates between 100-102. I call Dr. Bad Tupee and he says, keep doing what I'm doing and he'll see me in the morning.
Day 8: I have 1.5 sick days left. My temp is 103.7. I now have a rash from head to knee, that looks like a long day at Myrtle Beach w/o sunscreen like back when I was in 7th grade. I call Dr. tupee's office and they can get me in first thing...10:45. Joe stays home to help me and forces me to take a cold shower, BRUTAL!
Dr. takes blood and insists that bump on back of ear is a bone infection, possibly causing my high fever. This particular bone infection stems from sinus infections, I DON"T HAVE ONE. Clue #3 that I should not see him again (clue #1 bad tupee, clue #2 last time I visited him, he insisted I might have severe allergies, instead of the wicked viral cough going around my school and city!)
Day 8 Still A.M. Joe asked Dr. T for 800mg of Ibprofren to get my temp down. Dr. insist that rash is from antiiotic, but temp confuses him, he instists the temp doesn't accompany a rash from a sulfur allergy
Day 8 P.M. I love my new ibprofren, why go back to 500 mg, when you can have 800.
Day 8 P.M.M. still feel like crap, can't sleep, no temp, no pain, lots of Ibprofren left to take.
Here's where the story gets even Better
Day 9: Return to Dr. Tupee's office for follow-up to blood work...1/2 day left of sick time I need to get to work in 1 hour.
Nurse argues with me that I can't go to work, I insist I'm going
Blood work not done, my 15 minute wait turns into 1 hour, Dr. tells me he won't let me go back to work.
Day 9--1 hour later: Dr Tupee and Dramatic NUrse in a panic over my blood results.
They say my white blood cells have dropped to 15%, Dr. Tupee tells me that he is admitting me to the hospital. He doesn't know what is going on, but I should see a Hematologist to check out my blood. He's hinting at cancer, bone marrow issues. Nurse tries to calm me down while waiting for Joe, she whispers something about her grandson having a blood disease and that he's now 6 and still living. She says things will be OKAY! (I feel somehow less comforted)
Nurse calls Joe and scares the living out of him. She insist that I'm VERY ILL and can't tell him over the phone what is wrong, becasue it's much too bad.
Joe flies to the Dr. Office in a UBER PANIC, I had to calm him down.
We get admitted into the hospital. I'm crying becasue I'm going to miss another day of work.
Get to hospital, staff starts talking that I'll be in the hospital until Friday...
I cry some more.
Get my blood drawn again...
Dr. Tupee tries to comfort Joe and I by saying, "it doesn't help to worry, let me do the worrying."
Ahh I fell better now!
Hematologist sees us and tells us that my symptoms sound a lot like a case study of Sulfur allergy, high temp, rash, low white blood cell count
HMMMM.... wait a minute...rewind the script... didn't Dr. Tupee just say...
I'm released the next morning because germs in Hospital are antibiotic resistant...
I go home and avoid people until Friday.
Day 10: Dr. Hematologist tells me I'm clear to go in public now and my white blood cells are up from 15% and are now 27%
WalMart here I come.
I bought 2 bird feeders and go to the library to get some good books to read, 2 very clean public places!

Mom is great she gives us Chocolate Cake

 

 

 

 

First attempt folks, No kidding. Some people asked us over for dinner, and I asked if I could bring something. She said, "Oh we hate chocolate, don't bring it, anything but that." (Sarcasm real thick). So what did I do, of course I made a quadri-chocolate cake.

LET THEM EAT CAKE, and we did.

SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS: This is the first, and I might add, the best cake I've ever made or had. No boxes, no short steps or side helps, just good ol fashion baking. I will have to thank the Food Network, Elton Brown for scientifically proven moist cake, Paula Deen for the recipe and making it okay to be pleasantly plump and eat comfort food all day long, Grandma Doris for inspiring me to bake just as good as you and being so good at it herself, Aunt Linda for also being a great dessert baker and showing-off at family get-togethers, and last but not least GOD for giving us the cocoa bean and little natives to harvest it for us and Giradelli for packaging it for me, and Dove for perfecting mass production of their chocolate.
What is in a Quadri-Chocolate cake
layer one Moist and delicious chocolate cake
layer 2 homemade butter chocolate frosting
layer 3 chocolate Ganache
Layer 4 Dove chocolate shavings

And all the fat people rejoice!

Spring Break dude!

It use to be Spring break was a big deal to me, now it just means one whole week of rushing to get something accomplished. This year it will Year of the errand! I've been waiting to do some things such as:
1.mail off some meat that was suppose to be a Christmas, present
2. hang a frame up on the wall completed
3 touch up some paint
4. sew a curtain
5 unsew a pair of pants
6. vacuume a room or two completed
7. wash a floor
8. put clothes away
9 write up directions for a Bible trivia game for Awana... completed
10.STop at the library for books on tape completed
11. return something
12. buy something
13. Work out
14. __________________ (space available for one more errand)
This spring break will be a good one, I can feel it. Lets hear it for Spring break year of the errand!

Fun Fall Fotos

Yet another snow day with Gabe

don't feel sorry for me people. When Gabe gets on one of his imagination station cho cho trains I just zone out, and keep busy as he talks. I engage every few minutes when he asks a question and then resume the spacing out. A snow day was declared and we spent the day relaxing.


And yes folks, at the end of the race, there was a replay. I just couldn't take it though, the camera stopped and so did I.

WHO's Who

The Talented Ms. Ava

I believe that some family members have reacently discovered that their children have not met their expectations, and some parental dreams have died along with this revelation, ie GG. I, however, have been reaffirmed of Ava's talents and grace. Her dancing is far superior to her underlings and other amiss 2 year olds. She is consumed with dancing and music. When she hears music her body naturally responds,mostly with Ghetto jirations, or booty shakin, but still the vibe is there. She awakes in the morning with moves I have never seen before, choreographer perhaps?. Her mind is 100% focused on Princesses which again reiterates her dreams to be a ballerina or better yet the world's greatest dancer, Paula Abdul! Her talents are endless, and this MOM is proud. Where is my bumper sticker?

My room finally has some personality

The last few days I've been a paintin machine. Ava and our room is complete. I only have Gab's and my bathroom to finish.
I've learned through my years as a painter, that if a color doesn't come to you right away, don't paint it a priamry green or a blood-dark burgandy. Paint a big ol splotch on your wall, stare at it, sit on it, think about it, change it up, flip it around, coordinate it; and when it finally is certain that you like the color, proceed with painting. You think this sounds a bit long-winded or over exerting, but I've actually painted a room three times not liking each color, and not just a wall. ALL 4 WALLS!
Oh yes, with time, comes great wisdom.

Stupid smart computers

Due to the recent blocking of all personal websites at my place of employment, ie: facebook & blogger, my blogs have been few and far between becasue apparently we are suppose to be working at work. Due to the writer's strike in Hollyweird I thought I'd join em just to prove a point. Yeah, I don't have to write eitehr, especailly when I can't!
I have you know, I do work at work, and that a minor blog entry and or a facebook checkup does not constitue not working. It's called a hobby, or a break, which ever one sounds more professional for HR. I'm a lil peeved at the school district for this new smart bug, and I don't appreciate the snarky comments that people have been making (adri) due to the lack of blog entries. Since I am in demand. I will enter a new thought or two.

A very private letter to my older sister!

Dear oldest sister: If I were your boss, I'd fire you right now. I am writing this private letter, for your eyes only, in response to how our last phone call ended. Okay, yeah I called you 4 times within a 5 minute time frame, but you didn't pick up your phone. And you may have been at work, but just because you're at work doesn't mean that's what's happenin and.. on another line? What is that,you have a hold button! Besides, are phone call actually "work"? Telemarketers do not come before family!
Anywho, just for that the pants that you say will fit you, will now arrive on your door step in 7-10 days instead of 2-3, AND they may or may not have holes in the crotch. If they do, they will be subtle so you will only notice them in a very public arena; or if you do discover them before you wear them, you will be very disappointed, because they will be the pair you're really excited about.
Next time, if you don't want me calling so much, pick up next time.
P.S. are you still coming to my house for spring break? SO FUN!
Love, lil sista

Sleep deprived and loving the islands: irie

I've been totally engaged with my new book, Joe's Christmas gift to me, and I have only gotten 5 hours of sleep the past 2 nights. So in honor of sleep I dedicate these new photo releases of our time in Jamaica: irie.
Here is evidence ofour cliff jumping and JOe's machismo!
Notice the white man's version of cliff jumping and than the native Jamaican's version of cliff jumping. There are subtle differences, but the natives jamaica me crazy mon.

The sweet sound of urine

For all of you who actually speak to us, you are well aware that we have been trying to potty train AVA. To no avail, she is stronger-willed and smarted than her parents. "They" are big fat liars who say that girls and the second-born are easier to potty train. LIARS, all of you!
But we have found her weakness! PRINCESSES. They make a potty training kit featuring: princess pull ups (training pants for the laymen), princess stickers, princess how-to poster and visual aid reminder, princess potty book, and a princess crown. The on-going theme of this box is SUCCESS!
It's been rough going, but we are in it to win it this time! This morning she woke up dry and tinkled on her potty chair! Which in fact she has choosen to hate from the get go.
Visualize this: In our bathroom I have a vanity (vanity not required to use the vanity!) and next to my bench, where I dry my hair and oogle, sits the lone potty seat. It's next to the step that leads to the bathtub, so it looks awkward and small. She has always hated it, she prefers the actual huaman size one. She has a Napolean complex, like nara... big personality, and doesn't see the size or maturity difference bewteen us and her, so the need to sit on the big potty doesn't surprise me. Anywho, she got these new flannel big girl Dora pj's, so she's really in the big girl zone. She takes down her jammies and sits there. She takes forever! Her big thing is to always say she's done, so being the skeptic I didn't believe her. When I looked down into treh hot pink bowl, EUREKA! Gold liquid.
After the tinkle, she got some high fives, a fun potty dance,and 2 M&M's and a Princess sticker. The bases are fully loaded folks. We're ready for a potty trained 3 year old.
Pictures to follow.

LaShay threat level is --A glaring yellow

My health is failing, so the LaShay level of threat has elevated to a annoying, glaring yellow today. I have heel/feet problems that shoots pain up my leg all day long, my last molar hurts and gives me headaches cuase the filling is sitting on my nerves, I'm 20 pounds overweight, according to my height, my hair color washes my skin tones out, my face and skin is going through a dry spell and I need more sleep.
This level could change with any cup of strong coffee, but I guarantee that this yellow level of threat will only swing to orange or a blarring red if provoked.

MERRY NEW YEAR

Merry New Year! We stayed up until 12 folks, that's huge. We had an incentive though, our newly turned 7 year old wanted to ring in the new year for the first time. WE got to explain what "balls dropping" meant, and I don't mean puberty, but rather the NYC celebrtation. Unfortunately, they had a hurankous hostest and host that practically ruined the whole moment for everyone!
I digress, we kissed, we hugged, did a tad bit of yelling, and sent the 7 year old off to bed. Then we watched a few episodes of The Office season 3, and I finished the night off listening to Joe suck air. To bed at 2!
Prior to coming home at 10 p.m. to celebrate with the offspring. Joe took me to a Brazillian restaruant where large men walked around hanging their hot meat off of skewers to tantalize you. WE were tantalized! And boy did we eat. We had a four course Brazillian meal. It was fabulous. I ate more lamb then a person should and had 2 lobster tails.
WE finally found a babysitter, so we're free to go out now, now if only we had more money to do so...Fun was had by all!


Hear ye Hear ye, The stewart's of MO will be sending out a Christmas card by the end of January. For real this time, complete with a photo! Say what? Yup, but don't get your hopes up, I'm pretty sure the photos are blurry.