I'm not very good at this blogging thing!

I'll be laying in bed and thinking of the perfect thing to write about. At the time, while I'm all cozy and hoping I'll fall asleep fast, it sounds GREAT! Like- maybe I should win an award for great blogs, kind of great! But then I sit here and open the laptop and it's all crickets!

Chores- Right now, I am currently trying to get Gracie to do her kitchen chores. We assign the kids kitchen duties. They all have a schedule- same days every week. Wednesday is Gracie's day. It's been Gracies day for a long time. Everytime I say, "Gracie, kitchen chores!" She acts all shocked. Then she complains. Then she gives me the reasons why Wednesday's are not good kitchen days for her. Then she will FINALLY give up and go do them. I don't expect the kitchen to be all sparkeling when she's done. She is only 10. I just care that she tries. There are days when I do them for her as a surprise. I do that for all the kids, though. When they've had a bad day or something like that.

I used to love staying up later than everyone. I couldn't wait to yell, bedtime! Good night, love ya, see ya in the morning! Then I could read in peace, watch TV, do whatever (or nothing!). Lately, I am usually in bed before they are or at least counting the minuted until Gracie goes to bed so I can! Wonder if that means I am getting old? Nah- just tired!

Emmy closes a lot though, and isn't quite old enough to drive. So, I wait for her text saying she is about finished- then run to town to pick her up.(sometimes in my jammies. Okay, MOST of the time in my jammies! LOL) I don't mind, really. I am glad that she has a job and is earning some money for herself. It sure feels good getting those paychecks! Especially as a teen.

So, I'm going to try and keep up with the blog even though it "feels" weird. Like, who would want to read my ramdom ADD thoughts and writing? I guess I do!

Here's my first attempt in posting a pic- if it works and shows up- it will be a picture from the first day of school Tuesday. We call it our raising the bar picture and we take the same one every year on the first day. There is also a goofy picture- we also take one every year!

A whole lot of random stuff!

~ Summer is coming to an end. Well, not really- but when the kids go back to school it triggers the end of summer stuff! The mornings have been chilly- but the days are still super warm. I am usually ready for fall. Not this year. I don't know why, though. I still want super hot hot days! That is so out of character for me!

~ I AM looking forward to the first day of school for the kids, though. I am downright giddy about it! (What else is new?!) Can't believe Jake is a Senior this year. I have a Senior, Junior, and a Sophomore. So, that's 3 years of graduations in a row. Three years of lasts.

~I get to go back to work here soon too! Yay!! I do like having my summers off but have to admit I sure do miss getting PAID! I love being a CART provider! I swear, I think it's the best job EVER!

~ I have read so many books this summer. I am an avid reader. Truthfully though, during last semester I didn't read very much at all. I just didn't have much time between working and running kids to their sports.

~Gracie is super excited today. She is going to Waverly Hills tonight for a paranormal tour. She is going with her Dad, Aunt lisa, and her cousin, Justin. That kid is SOOO excited! She has been dressed, hair done, and ready since 3:00. They aren't leaving until 8:30! LOL!

~Emily's job is going well. I am so happy that she is being responsible and earning her own money! She had fun shopping yesterday with her very first check! I am so ready for her to get her drivers license though. Then she can driver her own self to work and home! LOL!

~ We are going to start doing a small home improvement project here in a month or so. YAY! Wood floors in the living room, new tile kitchen floors, new countertops, tile in the bathrooms! No more SPAM pink countertops! WHOOT!

Rough Days

Thankfully I don't have too many rough days. But today was one of them. Didn't sleep so well last night. Had weird scary nightmares and woke up several times. I finally gave it up and got up at 4:50 am for the day.

I had to go to the store today. I always park WAAAYYY in the back. Well, not always- but since I got the new car. I got home and was unloading groceries and noticed scratches and dents in the bumper. It would line up perfectly with the end of a shopping cart. Thing is, it had to have hit HARD for the dent on the right side. Took the paint off and actually "cut" into the bumper leaving a decent size "dent." GRRRRRR!! I was FURIOUS. Like- the kind of mad that I haven't been in a LOOONNG time. Like, lock my ass up kind of mad. Soooo glad I didn't notice until I got home because no telling what goofy shit I would have pulled at the store!

This is the first new car I have ever had, so I am a little OCD about my car. I love that car! I am going to take it to the dealership tomorrow for an estimate. Not 100% sure that I am getting fixed right away. May have to wait until the new semester starts so I am bringing in some money first,

I am surprised I am still up this late. I shouldn't be surprised though. I say all the time, "Tonight, I am going to bed early!" but I never do. Well, rarely. It's so peaceful and quite at night, I just hate to give up the alone time. Or I'll find some old movie or show that I haven't seen in awhile and before i know it I have caught my second wind!

Summer break is going fine so far. I have kids coming over to stay with my kids, my kids going to thers house to stay with them. It's like a revolving door around here. That's okay though. Right now, it's working for us.

I'm trying to soak it all up. Remember the details that I know I will have wished I remembered better.

Time flying by!

Today Emily is 16. It's crazy hard to believe that I have a 16 year old daughter. I brought out the baby book this morning because I had forgotten what time she was born. Kids birthdays always put me in a reminiscent mood of the day they were born. Emmy was my first. The kid that made me a Mommy. She was born at 1:02pm. She was 7 lbs 7 oz and 20 and 1/2 inches long. She was such a great baby and even a better toddler. I remember when she used to wake up in the mornings she would just stay in her room and play until I woke up and came in- entertaining herself quietly.
I used to wonder what she would be like when she was 16. I tried to picture how she would look and what her personality would be like. She is even more than I ever imagined. She is so smart. This girl has never gotten any grade lower than an A. From the 1st grade! She is 3 days away from being a sophomore. She is so driven and has huge goals for her future. I know, without a doubt, that she will reach those goals. She is beautiful and clever and whitty! Oh, how I love that girl!
It's weird- she is like an extension on me. It feels like my arms are outstretched and she is an attached to them. I know I'm not explaining that well. It's like there is a piece of me walking around out there. I guess maybe that's my heart? My heart she carries with her? Oh my word! How cheesy am I today?
Happy sweet 16, dear Emily! I love you seems so minor for how I feel about you, kid!

BEAUTIFUL Dayz!

Woke up to the SUN shining today. It is so beautiful outside. I wish I could put these days in a bottle and relive them in the winter when it's cold and dreary!

It helps that I stepped on the scales this morning and am down 21.5 pounds from the day I started Nutrisystem. So, that means I am down 28 pounds from my last doctor appointment! WHOOT! I can totally tell too. I only have 2 pairs of shorts that I can wear now. Not a bad problem to have. I kind of want to wait before I go buy more because I plan on losing 25 more pounds. I am half way to goal! WOOOHOOOOO!!

Storms and other stuff

I suck at keeping up with my blog. It's not like anyone reads it anyway! LOL! But- maybe one day, I'll get great at it and people from all over will be curious as to what the buzz and Mandy's blog is all about! LOL! Yeah right!

We have lived in our new home since August of last year. There hasn't been many storms since then. Lately we have had a lot. When we were house shopping I didn't even think I needed a house with a basement. I mean, I've lived in houses with a basement for a lot of my adult life but I have never went into it due to a storm or even tornado warning. So, I thought I didn't really need a house with a basement.
I was wrong! I think just having it there JUST IN CASE was enough to keep me feeling safe and secure. I knew if I ever needed to I could just run right down there. Now, when severe weather is on the way, I get a little nervous and shaky. NEVER have I felt like this, until now. I don't know if it's because I haven't weathered many storms in the new house, or because I don't have immediate direct access to a basement. Either way, both times that we have had severe weather I have loaded up my car with the kids and went to my sister-in-law's house. She has a basement! I hate being scared of something like that. Next storm, I am staying at home to weather it. Well, probably......okay, we'll see!

The kids are growing up. No, really. Jake just went to his first prom a couple weeks ago. James turned 16 on Monday. Emily is turning 16 in less than two weeks. I can't believe I have a 16 year old kid. Holy Moly! I have never felt more old in my life as I do right now. I can't imagine MY daughter getting into a car and driving her own self! CRAZY!

Gracie is still quite the handful. She has those GREAT moments though that make everything ok. She can be sooooo funny and creative. She NEVER does what I say the first time I tell her. NEVER. I always have to tell her 2 or 3 times. It's so frustrating. Sometimes on the second or third time of me telling her the same thing I get a little upset. Just a little though because I know this is a part of who Gracie is. The other night Murf and I were sitting on the front porch. I told Gracie to come in and take a shower. She says, "Okay" but doesn't move from the porch swing. I told her another time and pretty much got the same result. So, I said it a bit more firmly. She walks inside the front door, then stands there with the door opened so she can listen to us. I turn and say very firmly, "Gracie, go get in the shower RIGHT NOW!" She says ever so calmly, "Okay. Jeez Mom, you don't have to set an attack on me! Sheesh!" and just walks in like nothing. LOL! That's the way it is. I tell her and tell her. Then when I get upset she is all like, "Jeez Mom, chill!"