Great Ending Day 7

Today was a crazy day. My day started at 5:30am so I could get to work and our network manager so we could upgrade our Blackboard server which didn't go as well as we'd hoped. At the same time my student called in sick and I had the other on vacation so I didn't have counter help. I was also working with a professor who was recording his lectures at the same time I was doing the upgrade. We did get the upgrade done by our 1 pm deadline and the professor got his lectures done. I still have a bit to do but Bb is functional.

My youngest had color guard and my other daughter had to visit a friend's house she's caring for. Once again my youngest drave the pickup. So proud of her for practicing.

When I got home I was so glad I had unbaked Papa Murphy's pizza in the fridge. I bought them a few days ago but when I home that night  when I got home my husband had started steaks. I ended up grilling the pizzas tonight on the GMG. It made them crispy and a bit smokey. They turned out great. Pizza and a glass of wine was a perfect ending of a busy day. My husband came home as well which was a plus too.

Focus on Food Day 6

Well, apparently I had was a little late feeding Meathead breakfast. Apparently he dines before 7am, but my husband was gone so breakfast was at 7:30. I don't think he was happy. Yes, his name is Meathead because we don't want to get too attached to him but I think the name isn't helping much. My husband keeps reminding me he's not a pet and he weighs 1000 pounds.  His brother is summering at the neighbors because he got loose the day we brought them home and was missing for a month. He finally showed up with the neighbor's cows about a 1/2 mile away. We decided to leave well enough alone. I'm not chasing him all over the county again. He'll be coming home in freezer paper. So I'll just enjoy Meathead and we'll be his herd.

When I got to work I found Mario my new pool boy who is replacing Artie was being delivered. Artie died two summers ago of a broken fin. He just spun in circles or sat at the bottom of the pool. He fought a good fight. I had Mario sent to work because he was kind expensive and I didn't know if anyone would be home to greet him. I can't wait to watch him to vacuum my pool. I don't think we're calling Mario now though. The girls weren't fond of the name.  They said that the name reminded them of a old short Italian man. Then one of them made Mario Brothers actions so the jury is still out on a name but I know he's Italian.

I didn't eat before my creativity book group from work tonight so I was starving. I have really wanted ice cream all day even though I really can't have milk products so when I got home I grabbed the girls and we headed to Froyo Earth for a treat. They'd fixed their own dinners so they just wanted Froyo because who wouldn't when mom's buying? Froyo Earth has really great sorbet that I could have and the girls had frozen yogurt. You pay buy the ounce after toppings and all so our bill was about $12. Less than the three of us going to Starbucks which is right next door. Not a healthy choice I know as far as dinner is concerned but it was satisfying. I had fruit right?

Night at Hop Jacks Day 5

What a big day for my youngest. Another milestone has been conquered. She drove the little pickup into town today. She's had her license for almost a year but today she drove a car with a stick shift. She's been dreading this day but I told her I was done paying for gas for the Expedition. She said she only stalled a few times.  All I can say is money motivates!

Tonight was the band and color guard fundraiser at Hop Jacks. My husband was out of town so the girls and I went to dinner there. They have a great menu but we like the beverages the most. My youngest really likes the huckleberry lemonade. I like their drops. They serve them in mini ice molded martini glasses with mini shaker on the side. When we were done there we headed to
Hobby Lobby where we bought the cutest metal sign for the pool house. It said, "It's Always Pool Time." I can't wait to see it up.

On our way there we saw a panhandler on the corner dancing and spinning his sign. He was having a great time. His sign was hilarious: Too ugly to be a prostitute and too honest to steal. He deserved the money he was making. Hilarious! Money motivates!

Back to Work Monday! Day 4

Well it was back to work today. I could get used to a four day work week! Work was typical other than my afternoon student employee is gone so I had to staff the counter. After work, I stopped to get pizza at Papa Murphy's to grill for dinner but when I got home my husband had steaks on the grill. Tasty they were so I stuck the pizzas in the refrigerator for later this week. Score! I don't have to cook twice this week.

After dinner I cleaned and fixed some molding while my husband worked on his lights in the shop. The girls hung out together. My youngest daughter worked on our surprises for her fellow color guard members who are heading to camp. My middle daughter played one of our favorite computer games, The Sims3. Well, all of the girls favorite. We have several expansion packs and have been playing it since the original version. It's great because you can control the people on the computer screen when you can't control the real world. You also get to build and decorate houses which is really fun. It's kind of like Barbie on the computer only Barbie has to go to work so she makes money for food, rent, clothing and furniture.

Productive Sunday Day 3

Tonight was the night of the super moon but it's overcast so we can't see it. Despite the funky weather today, it was another productive day. My middle daughter and I started the morning by watching the DVR recordings of "So You Think You Can Dance." She's still on East Coast time so she was up early. We are now caught up. My husband worked on the outdoor gas fireplace. Now I just have to paint it so we went to Home Depot to buy paint among other things. We also bought molding for my kitchen project and wiring for the shop and parts for the mason jar chandelier my husband is working on for our daughter's wedding reception. He says for the cost all of the girls will be using it.

When we got home our youngest was gone. She had a VBS meeting at church and had to head to the valley for work.  Our other daughter headed out to meet friends at Green Bluff to pick strawberries as well as check on the house she'll be housesitting. I hung my signs on my freshly painted wall in my kitchen. I figured out the greatest way to hang things evenly. I took painters tape and laid it across the back of my signs, marked where to put the holes for the nails, removed the tape from the sign, put the tape on the wall, nailed in the nails based on my marks and hung the signs. Now they're up straight and even with no extra holes! After that I went to work on the pillowcases and gift bags my youngest and I are making for the members of her color guard who are going to camp. Everything turned out really cute! I really think they'll like them. Now I just need to come up with some "midnight" snacks to add to the bags.

Our evening ended with a great dinner and a movie. Dinner was smoked wings using the Green Mountain Grill, corn on the cob and roasted red potatoes using sea salt and chardonnay garlic olive e oil from the amazing oil and vinegar store in River park Square.

Busy Saturday Day 2

Wow was today busy! This morning I painted the kitchen a lovely shade of white. Then my daughter and I went to Fred Meyer to gas up where I realized I left my debt card at home. We got gas. Thank goodness for charge cards! Gas was $3.76 a gallon. Down a bit from Wednesday. We ran into the store and bought milk and shoes for camp and then drove home.  With debt card in hand, we headed for Big Lots and picked up pillow cases for tomorrow's project. We also headed to TJ Maxx where she got some yoga capris for camp. Next, we went to Hobby Lobby and Michael's to pick up a burlap runner for my oldest daughter's reception, some brown gift bags and the coolest re metal exit sign for my kitchen. Love those 40% off coupons!

We had some time to waste so we ran by the mall. We picked up our favorite pretzel bites and my daughter had on Orange Julius. We decided to waste time at Barnes & Noble where my daughter had an odd and scary experience with a strange man in the teen book section while I was browsing magazines. It was very weird. Weird enough I may make a phone call tomorrow.

We headed to the airport right after that to pick my middle daughter up. Her plane was fifty minutes late so we waited in the cell phone lot before moving to metered parking. She came home after attending her grad school summer institute at Geneva College in PA. She had so many great things to share but was really tired since it was one am for her. We were going to take her out to dinner but settled for Wendy's drive through.