Some Mid Week "Things"...

There's been lots going on in the house of Scrapper Mom recently. Lots of things requiring my computer scrap savvy brain...such as it is. Starting over the weekend, this is what I'm talking about:

- One book report over "The Long Winter". Ready for Little Ann to audition for her part in the Accelerated Reading pageant on the 30th. We're talking 3-4 minutes that had to be memorized. Not even notecards....and complete with costume. CHECK.

She did this on Monday and I must brag. She was the only one in the class that made a perfect score and was first pick for the pageant!!

- Next up for Little Ann was the power point she had to put together for yesterday's 4-H presentation. Community Service is a good thing. CHECK.

- I've been scrap happy for the past few days because Big Dan's last 5 spreads for his Senior Scrapbook are due tomorrow. This time he had to design a cover and back for the binder. The essay was on his best childhood memory which of course would be the 500 years he's played baseball. We..correction..I spent hours sorting through old baseball pics for the accompanying collage. CHECK.

- District Tournament started this past week. All pushed back a day because of rain. I drove 5 hours yesterday (round trip) for the game which we won. We play again tonight for the Championship. And I suppose I'll be driving to watch again.

- Pete's job did change a little. Not too detrimental at the moment. As a railroader, there is so much strange lingo that it took me years to learn to comprehend. All I can say right now is he got "bumped" off the "extra board" and is now working a "regular job" which gives him pretty standard off days instead of a few hours off between trips. There. Did you get all that? I said all that to say that he has been a little stir crazy with the warm weather and off days. So much that he and Little Ann began "PROJECT TREE HOUSE". I think it's supposed to resemble "American Girl..Kit's". The first day they worked on it brought a little tumble backwards into the mud in which he thought he broke his ankle. Now Little Ann is stressed that her clumsy daddy is going to really hurt himself during this endeavor and she wants him to stop. Aw...now that's sweet. How is it that some of us get so much clumsier with age? (Love ya honey).

- The Seniors have 10 more days of school. I have hung in there. No tears yet (well, recent ones), but I know they're a comin'!! As soon as this tournament is over we are going to have to squeeze graduation invitations in somewhere between Regional and State...and I'm trying to plan the "after party".

No doubt it's been and will be a wild ride around here for a little while. Say a little prayer for us....(and my dad who is having a skin cancer removed today and sent off for biopsy).

Happy Hump Day, my friends!

A Spring Break Post (in Pictures)

and maybe just a little writing...(just because I like to talk so much).

MONDAY:

Yeah, I guess it wasn't hard to figure out that we spent the entire day on Monday shopping and eating. Not a bad deal.

TUESDAY:



It took me the entire week to do all the laundry, but you can stick a fork in me...cause I'm DONE!

WEDNESDAY:






THURSDAY:


This shot doesn't reflect the "before", but notice the neatly labeled bags and tub...winter clothes, summer clothes. You know the drill...we do this twice a year, but we didn't work hard all day long. Our evening was full of pampering.....






FRIDAY:


I've tried not to talk too much, but I've just got to share captions for these next few pictures from tonight...

My handsome 1st baseman...

snagging that ball hit right to him.....He's OUT!!!


Runner headed to 2nd base....hmmmm...my handsome 1st baseman throws it to 2nd baseman..


And he's OUT!!! And yes, that would mean my handsome 1st baseman got a DOUBLE PLAY!! Go Big Dan!


All kids gone can only mean one thing. Hubby and I get a night to ourselves. Yum. I ate so much I felt like such a sinner. (You know...the gluttony thing. lol)

Hope everyone had a wonderful week...Back to work on Monday.

What I've Been Up To

Friday
- finished my book (Yea for me!!!)
- went to visit my parents which I haven't done in awhile. There's a new baby calf in town...

Saturday
-This day started way too early for a Saturday, in my opinion. Little Ann had a basketball game at 9:00 am...requiring us to be there at 8:30. She played well and I was really proud of her. She is one of the only two 5th graders on her team (and the shortest, I might add) and since the rest are 6th graders, her confidence is not very high right now.
-We had a "moving" day from our old classrooms at church to our new educational wing we started back in the Spring.
-Little Ann had a 2nd game later in the afternoon.
-Came home after more cleaning and moving in at the church only to find myself locked out of the house. (gotta love that)
-Trip into the city to meet up with Pete, who was at work, to retrieve a key from him...luckily he hadn't left on his train yet.

Sunday
-Church services and a much needed nap. I brought a stow away home with me after morning services. They played the wii all afternoon and enjoyed the puppies.

As a matter of fact, I think they may've enjoyed them a little "too" much. I got up from my nap to find this on my camera.

If I had to guess, these cute little shoes once belonged to a currently barefooted little American Girl.

Have a great week!!

Happy Anniversary!

Anybody tired of my nostalgia? I hope not. I think I remember telling you in a previous post that I have a hard time remembering anything and that blogging sometimes enables me to go back to the "good ol days" and dig up those memories that seem to go foggier and foggier as the years pass.

Today is my parent's anniversary so I chose to scan in one of my favorite photographs from their "dating" days. It has been 41 years (if I remember correctly) and yes, my mom is still taller than my dad even without the beehive.

They've been out on the town today and my daddy took my mom out for prime rib tonight.

Aren't they cute? I think I'll keep em.

I Love This Man

That's the best title I could come up with.....because I really do love this man.

This is my dad. He's been my dad for 38 years and I hope he's my dad for many more. Today is his birthday. And I know the day is almost over, but I just couldn't go to bed until I told you just how special he is to me.

November 2008

I have spent the last few hours going through albums, and searching folders on my computer for my favorite pictures of my dad.

Me and My Dad, July 1973

Dad's a handsome fella, isn't he? You know, unfortunately, I have a terrible memory, but I have a feeling I was quite the daddy's girl. I have pictures of me and my dad with puppies. I have pictures of me and my dad with watermelon, me and my dad wrestling. Pictures of us together sporting our dead ducks and dead squirrels. I must say, I'm sure my dad was happy to have his boy come along. Not that I lost any rank as his firstborn. My daddy and I have always had a good relationship and I love him more today than I ever have.

Me and My Dad, Father's Day - June 2006

For what's not to love. The only thing that has changed about my daddy over the years is that he has only gotten sweeter. I love his sweet, tender disposition. This man has never met a stranger and everybody loves him. All of my "simplicity" comes from him, for he is happiest doing the simple things in life.....much like his own father. I love that he raises vegetables in a garden and shares with me. I love so much that he raises animals and delights when his grandkids come help him milk the cows..(and drink it).

I love how much he's earned my respect over the years because he fought and and was wounded in Vietnam for my country. How he sacrificed so much of his time and many years of his life making a living at the Railroad for us to have the nicer things in life. He is a wonderful husband of 40 years to my mom and would literally die for her. I love how he is a hard working man...not afraid to tackle any job. Even cutting and sawing down the very logs that were used to build his and my mother's home and even mine and Big Dan's first house.

I love how he loves me and has been there for me through thick and thin....even when I've dissapointed him and made him cry.

My Daddy holding his first grandchild, Big Dan. October 30, 1990

My Wedding Day - July 1993

I love how he makes me laugh...because he is quite comical. And the funniest thing is, he doesn't even know he is. It makes me laugh at how he can sit down in a chair and be asleep in 10 seconds flat. It makes me laugh that he gets coffee from sun up to sun down no matter what temperature it is outside. It makes me laugh that he strikes up a conversation with anybody anywhere. I laugh (with him, not at him) when I think of all the cuts, scrapes, bruises and "smashed" toes he's had over the years, and the stress he's caused my mom because he's just an accident waiting to happen. It makes me laugh that he annoys my mother so much by collecting these and storing them in her yard as his new retirement day hobby. (but she doesn't complain when he brings in the money off ebay...lol)

I love how he wants to spend as much time as possible with his grandchildren and takes them on hunting excursions and enjoys every second.

Papaw and Little Ann (and of course, Susie and a squirrel) - November 2008

and how he has been my traveling companion to every away basketball game Big Dan has ever played....(and baseball too). How he has rooted him on and praised his efforts for a job well done.

My dad loves his family and that is no secret. What a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather he is.....and what a legacy to leave behind. My dad is none less than the most precious person I have ever known and I thank God for him every day.

Christmas Eve at my Brother's - December 2006

and I am also so very thankful I am so much like my dad. Happy, loving, forgiving....simple. There isn't anyone I would rather replicate.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

The Good, The Bad and The (Definitely Not) Ugly

I guess this will be a hodge podge post, because I've got several things tossing to and fro in my brain just awaiting to get out. Here's some good:

Tonight my parent's came over for dinner and to return my little lost orphan (that I missed tremendously by the way)...not that I didn't enjoy my time alone, but 2 full days became almost more than I could bear. After our meal, I challenged my dad in a game of Wii bowling. It was too funny. I guess you would just have to know my sweet little daddy. I won't use the terms "he doesn't get out much", because that's the farthest thing from the truth. As a matter of fact, he is always on the go, but it's always to drink coffee at the nearest coffee shop, to a cow sale, or to buy an old junk car somewhere. That is the life for him and he loves every minute of it. So to see him playing video games was quite comical. Oh, and for those who I know will notice my Christmas tree is still up...I'm working on it. Really, I am, but I refused to do it when I had my weekend to myself, ya know?

Before long, we had talked my mom into joining in the fun. She admitted she had never been bowling before in real life. She held her own..actually leading on my dad for several frames, but he ended up getting 2 strikes in the 10th frame for a tie. It was probably for the best. It'll keep peace tonight. haha.

Some more good I don't think I've shared with you:
Last Sunday and Monday, Little Ann and I traveled up to visit our besties again a few hours away. Our mutual friend from China was also in visiting and brought his girlfriend for us to meet. I mentioned how he was their exchange student several years ago here. They are currently living in Boston.

We had a great time exchanging some gifts and catching up with each other. We watched "The Bucket List" and did some shopping. My friendgirl was very disappointed in my shopping though. Christmas had wore me out and I just didn't have much energy for shopping at all. I tried to hang, really, I did, and was good until my high heeled boots had gotten the best of me. (I know what you're thinking....self-inflicted).

The Bad:

Even though this happened the day after Christmas, I've chosen not to bring it to the blog yet. There were so many other happy subjects to blog about like presents and babies and New Year's resolutions. Besides, I can't say this has been the most popular thing for discussion in the house lately. In fact, it made for a pretty crappy "post Christmas" weekend.

Yes, this is Big Dan's car and once again, it wasn't his fault. Some guy in his senior class rear ended him last Friday when they went to hit in the batting cages. If I got my story right, it had something to do with a pretty girl driving by and a certain senior with his head somewhere it shouldn't be. Big Dan just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time (yeah, like in front of him). Yet again, all I can say is...this poor car. This poor boy. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot to even mention that Santa brought him a brand new spoiler for this car that we can't even put on now until it gets out of the shop again. Poor, poor boy or rather poor momma. Anybody got any xanax?

Ok, enough about the bad...let's get down to the definitely NOT ugly:

If you noticed my blog change, surely you've noticed by now that with that change, I added a little Jason to my sidebar. I can't hardly wait until the new season of "The Bachelor". It premiers Monday night. Like, as in, day after tomorrow's Monday! One thing I have noticed from watching little snippits so far (besides how sweet and adorable Jason is), and it really makes me wonder..what exactly is up with the mucho boobage on these girls? I mean, seriously?

Put them away, please.

Anyway, I will definitely be watching, and looking forward to those bloggers who will join hands with me in comparing notes! lol. I am also hyped up for the new season of "The Biggest Loser" which begins Tuesday night, and I guess I'm going to have to watch "Momma's Boys" online, because I'm thinking it will be on the same time as "The Bachelor". Help Me!! Too much reality TV!