Yesterday when I pulled up Yahoo to search for something I noticed a news article. Usually I don't stop what I am doing to read news unless I am just needing a break from work. Anyway this article caught my eye. It was about an older gentleman who is a war veteran. He placed a flag pole and flag in his front yard. The developer of his subdivision said it was breaking homeowners association rules. Really an American flag in your yard is against the rules!!! I work in real estate and read restrictions and homeowners associations rules all the time and there are some strange ones like you can't have a clothes line outside or your house has to be a certain brick or color etc. But to say you can't have a flag pole in your yard that's crazy!
Not really sure why this bothered me as much as it did other than the fact the guy was a war veteran and that I have a cousin currently in the Navy. My cousin has been deployed more times than I could ever count and been out to sea in submarines for months on end. He was at Desert Storm then again twice for the war in Iraq. I only knew of the deployment for Desert Storm and I was young but I remember my family watching tv for hours on end about the war. But I also know they never flew a flag or had a yellow bow on a tree and I think that's sad. My cousin makes sure that he goes to each homecoming that his base has and welcomes them all home. And his current job in the Navy is funerals and honoring those who have fallen in the line of duty.
I doubt there will ever be another article about that veteran and his fight with his homeowners association but I hope that his neighbors support him and stand behind him in wanting to fly his flag.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Random Thoughts and Things
Warning this is a random post that will jump around from things that happened a week or two ago to things that I will be doing in the near future.
Last week was a long stressful emotional week for me. I found out that a friend from highschool had died in her sleep. I hadn't talked to her much since graduation but from like 4th grade thru 10th we were pretty good friends and had a lot of classes together. However at the visitation I realized she was not the same girl I remembered from school. Felt horrible for her 3 kids having to go thru that at a young age and seeing all they saw. It was the second hardest funeral visitation I had ever been to. I remember my first time at a funeral and I was probably 8 or 10 and it wasn't someone close to me but it freaked me out none the less.
We had an auction to work on Saturday and by the end of the day we were all hot tired and crabby. Made for the loading up and the unloading a real treat of mood clashing. But we had a good turnout and made a decent amount of money for being an auction in town.
Sunday Blake, Nathan and I were invited to a birthday party at the St. James Pool. I hadn't been to a public pool oh in like 15 years and I had nothing to wear. I mean at home when we have our pool going I wear a tank top and shorts or a swimsuit when I know NO ONE will be around to see. So I had to run to town to get Nathan some swim diapers and trunks as well as Blake some sandals. For 2 hours I searched high and low and finally found a tankini top and a pair of swim shorts that would work. For some reason swim suits keep getting skimpier and skimpier don't they know that there are lots of Mom's who like to swim and really don't want a suit that ties or that you have to constantly adjust.
Anyway I got the kids and I ready and headed to town. Wasn't sure how Nathan would like a pool as he had never been to one and it was Blake's second time at a public pool. I was a nervous wreck worrying about trying to keep track of both kids and make sure Blake stayed away from the deep end since he isn't that great of a swimmer. To my surprise both kids LOVED it and I even had a good time in the water. Blake went down the big slide and as long as my friends husband was at the bottom when he came down he liked it. Nathan even got brave and went down the baby slide and had a ball. I wish I would have thought to bring my camera in with me.
This week I have lots to do in starting to prepare for Blake's 6th Birthday party, I still can't believe he will be 6 in July! This weekend will be fairly busy as well. Saturday night I am taking both boys and going with Don and Brenda to the race track in Lebanon they are having a special race and fireworks after the event. Blake loves racing and while I know he will be upset its not the same cars he sees on tv he will still love it. I think even Nathan will love the race.
Then Monday is the 2nd Annual Vichy Park Fourth of July event. Its an all day event going from 11 am until after dark with fireworks. I took the kids last year and Blake had fun. This year I have been volunteered to help cook hamburgers and hotdogs. Not sure how that will work since Nathan will not be content in his stroller the entire day. But I will see how it goes and hope for the best and that both kids will have a good time.
We are still making progress on our house we had a cabinet guy come out last night and measure to get us a bid on all of our cabinets. I sure hope he gives a good price since he is local and we would rather pay a local person versus Lowes or Home Depot. I still need to finish picking out lighting and ceiling fans so we can have them ordered and out of the way. However I am not good at deciding or liking the price of the ones I pick out.
Last week was a long stressful emotional week for me. I found out that a friend from highschool had died in her sleep. I hadn't talked to her much since graduation but from like 4th grade thru 10th we were pretty good friends and had a lot of classes together. However at the visitation I realized she was not the same girl I remembered from school. Felt horrible for her 3 kids having to go thru that at a young age and seeing all they saw. It was the second hardest funeral visitation I had ever been to. I remember my first time at a funeral and I was probably 8 or 10 and it wasn't someone close to me but it freaked me out none the less.
We had an auction to work on Saturday and by the end of the day we were all hot tired and crabby. Made for the loading up and the unloading a real treat of mood clashing. But we had a good turnout and made a decent amount of money for being an auction in town.
Sunday Blake, Nathan and I were invited to a birthday party at the St. James Pool. I hadn't been to a public pool oh in like 15 years and I had nothing to wear. I mean at home when we have our pool going I wear a tank top and shorts or a swimsuit when I know NO ONE will be around to see. So I had to run to town to get Nathan some swim diapers and trunks as well as Blake some sandals. For 2 hours I searched high and low and finally found a tankini top and a pair of swim shorts that would work. For some reason swim suits keep getting skimpier and skimpier don't they know that there are lots of Mom's who like to swim and really don't want a suit that ties or that you have to constantly adjust.
Anyway I got the kids and I ready and headed to town. Wasn't sure how Nathan would like a pool as he had never been to one and it was Blake's second time at a public pool. I was a nervous wreck worrying about trying to keep track of both kids and make sure Blake stayed away from the deep end since he isn't that great of a swimmer. To my surprise both kids LOVED it and I even had a good time in the water. Blake went down the big slide and as long as my friends husband was at the bottom when he came down he liked it. Nathan even got brave and went down the baby slide and had a ball. I wish I would have thought to bring my camera in with me.
This week I have lots to do in starting to prepare for Blake's 6th Birthday party, I still can't believe he will be 6 in July! This weekend will be fairly busy as well. Saturday night I am taking both boys and going with Don and Brenda to the race track in Lebanon they are having a special race and fireworks after the event. Blake loves racing and while I know he will be upset its not the same cars he sees on tv he will still love it. I think even Nathan will love the race.
Then Monday is the 2nd Annual Vichy Park Fourth of July event. Its an all day event going from 11 am until after dark with fireworks. I took the kids last year and Blake had fun. This year I have been volunteered to help cook hamburgers and hotdogs. Not sure how that will work since Nathan will not be content in his stroller the entire day. But I will see how it goes and hope for the best and that both kids will have a good time.
We are still making progress on our house we had a cabinet guy come out last night and measure to get us a bid on all of our cabinets. I sure hope he gives a good price since he is local and we would rather pay a local person versus Lowes or Home Depot. I still need to finish picking out lighting and ceiling fans so we can have them ordered and out of the way. However I am not good at deciding or liking the price of the ones I pick out.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Five Question Friday
Well since I haven't made a post in quite sometime figured I may as well do a 5 question Friday post.
1. What is your current favorite tv show?
By far Burn Notice followed up by Make it or Break it.
2. What's the worst haircut you ever got?
Ha that would have to be anytime my Great Grandma cut my hair, they said she used to be a hair stylist....
3. What was something that you did as a child that you thought you were so cool for doing?
Getting to go with my dad to Hot Springs Arkansas in his semi.
4. Do you have any GREAT frugal family fun tips?
Not really because we just plain don't have time to do any fun things. Although with having boys they think its fun working on our new house and playing in the dirt for hours. Blake thinks its great getting to help his Papa Mitch farm.
5. Would you drive across country if you had the money to fly?
Ok I have NEVER EVER been on a plane so I think I would say drive you can see and expierence so much more.
1. What is your current favorite tv show?
By far Burn Notice followed up by Make it or Break it.
2. What's the worst haircut you ever got?
Ha that would have to be anytime my Great Grandma cut my hair, they said she used to be a hair stylist....
3. What was something that you did as a child that you thought you were so cool for doing?
Getting to go with my dad to Hot Springs Arkansas in his semi.
4. Do you have any GREAT frugal family fun tips?
Not really because we just plain don't have time to do any fun things. Although with having boys they think its fun working on our new house and playing in the dirt for hours. Blake thinks its great getting to help his Papa Mitch farm.
5. Would you drive across country if you had the money to fly?
Ok I have NEVER EVER been on a plane so I think I would say drive you can see and expierence so much more.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday already...Weekend and week ahead...
Wow its Friday and I haven't posted this week. It was one of those weeks when you wake up of a morning and have no clue what day it is. One of those weeks where you have strange vivid weird dreams that make you think, and totally freak you out.
I had two night in a row with the strange dreams and was almost ready to run to the local book store and buy a dream book just to see what they meant. Then I got smart and looked online for free didn't really learn much. Some of the dream meanings really did make sense.
One dream I had was about a friend from high school who passed away back in 2005. But in my dream she was alive but still had cancer and she had me cutting her hair before it all fell out. The dream seemed to last forever and it was filled with happy times for the two of us and also sad knowing she had cancer. I can honestly say it freaked me out and it was the first time I had ever had a dream with her in it.
Had two dreams about fire, which I hadn't had a fire dream that was that vivid and intense for over 9 years. At least the two I had were mild compared to the nightmares I had years ago.
This week was still a week trying to adjust to school being out which creates a new morning routine and evening routine. Spent a few evenings at our new house sweeping (in which the boys promptly drove their bikes thru the pile) I plan on finishing the sweeping this weekend along with giving my poor car a much needed hand scrubbing.
Hopefully this weekend the cabinet guy will come to measure our kitchen and bathrooms so we can pick out the stain and the door fronts we want. If he don't come this weekend it will be up to Kenny to pick both out.... That scares me just a wee bit....
Next week will be interesting, Kenny leaves Monday afternoon for a week long class in Chicago. I won't see him possibly until Saturday evening. The boys probably won't see him until Sunday which is Father's day. I have an auction on the 18 then the 19 I am going with Don to St. Louis airport to pick Brenda up and I will be taking Nathan with me (yeah I may be asking for disaster). Blake wanted to go with me but I told him that his daddy wanted a day with just them.
I had two night in a row with the strange dreams and was almost ready to run to the local book store and buy a dream book just to see what they meant. Then I got smart and looked online for free didn't really learn much. Some of the dream meanings really did make sense.
One dream I had was about a friend from high school who passed away back in 2005. But in my dream she was alive but still had cancer and she had me cutting her hair before it all fell out. The dream seemed to last forever and it was filled with happy times for the two of us and also sad knowing she had cancer. I can honestly say it freaked me out and it was the first time I had ever had a dream with her in it.
Had two dreams about fire, which I hadn't had a fire dream that was that vivid and intense for over 9 years. At least the two I had were mild compared to the nightmares I had years ago.
This week was still a week trying to adjust to school being out which creates a new morning routine and evening routine. Spent a few evenings at our new house sweeping (in which the boys promptly drove their bikes thru the pile) I plan on finishing the sweeping this weekend along with giving my poor car a much needed hand scrubbing.
Hopefully this weekend the cabinet guy will come to measure our kitchen and bathrooms so we can pick out the stain and the door fronts we want. If he don't come this weekend it will be up to Kenny to pick both out.... That scares me just a wee bit....
Next week will be interesting, Kenny leaves Monday afternoon for a week long class in Chicago. I won't see him possibly until Saturday evening. The boys probably won't see him until Sunday which is Father's day. I have an auction on the 18 then the 19 I am going with Don to St. Louis airport to pick Brenda up and I will be taking Nathan with me (yeah I may be asking for disaster). Blake wanted to go with me but I told him that his daddy wanted a day with just them.
Friday, June 3, 2011
House progress
Well we have the trusses on, shingles are done, sheeting and house wrap are all complete and we will put windows and exterior doors in this weekend.
The first day three guys got this far on the house with the trusses. I was gone to an auction and got home really late. But was like a kid on Christmas morning couldn't wait to get up and drive over there and see it.
Standing in my living room looking towards our dinning room
This is the far side of the house and our porch runs the whole length of the house.
The roofers hard at work on a cold and rainy Saturday. It rained all day but they worked and got almost all the shingles finished.
Here is some of the progress on shingles, I haven't had a chance or sunny day to take a new picture of the finished roof. Looks so much better in the sunshine or maybe I am just to picky on taking pictures.
Here we are ready for doors and windows. Nathan loves running thru the house and riding his tricycle around inside. Although he may be a bit upset when we get a bit farther and he can only ride it in the garage.
Blake's Kindergarten Graduation
Blake graduated Kindergarten on May 19, 201! I was so happy for him and he had grown so much over the course of the school year. The classes put on a very nice presentation and had lots of songs. Normally Blake would just stand there or that's what he did in preschool. But not this time he sang right along and kept waving to us.
Him and his best friend Elizabeth were waving to us. I was sitting right next to her family and they kept smiling and waving the whole time.
They kept looking our way but the little girl with the purple flower headband is Elizabeth's sister. I was glad they were all standing pretty close so I could have them all in the pictures.
As each kid was called up the teacher said their name and what they wanted to be when they grew up...Well for any of you that know Blake well you already know the answer.... he wants to be a bull rider and he has told me that since he was 2!!! Out of all the kids in Kindergarten only two wanted to be a bull rider.
After the ceremony they had refreshments and cookies in the classrooms. Blake and Elizabeth wanted a picture together. Not sure why she wanted to hold his diploma but guess it was nice of her. Blake is sad she isn't going to be in his class next year and wants me to have her over for lots of playdates.
We finally got a picture of the three of us granted its not a real good picture but I was determined to at least have one!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
The time has arrived!!!
Ok so I know I still need to post about Blake's kindergarten graduation, progress on the house as well as Memorial Weekend Pig Roast. However until I figure out how to get the pictures from my camera to my work computer it will have to wait. Unless I remember to bring my laptop in...
Anyway the time has come for me to go order our faucets for our new house!! Ok I have looked at lighting and faucet books for months and months. Just browsing and thinking oh I like this or that. Last night Kenny told me I had to pick them out and get them ordered the next day (which is today!!!!!) So I spent and hour and I think I have them all picked. I really loved the kitchen faucet that has a handle that looks like an old well pump handle. I am splurging on the shower head and getting one that I have been in love with since seeing it in the store.
Also today I have to pick my kitchen sink (which will be a battle with my husband) because we have different taste there. But I hope we can agree quickly on that issue as well as picking out the bath/shower units. All I care about there is that they are white. Ours now is off white and it never looks clean.
But he does get the pleasure of picking out the toilet, for some reason men are picky in that area so I told him I didn't care as long as it was pretty and white.
Hope that I can get pictures uploaded soon so I can get caught up on posts.
Anyway the time has come for me to go order our faucets for our new house!! Ok I have looked at lighting and faucet books for months and months. Just browsing and thinking oh I like this or that. Last night Kenny told me I had to pick them out and get them ordered the next day (which is today!!!!!) So I spent and hour and I think I have them all picked. I really loved the kitchen faucet that has a handle that looks like an old well pump handle. I am splurging on the shower head and getting one that I have been in love with since seeing it in the store.
Also today I have to pick my kitchen sink (which will be a battle with my husband) because we have different taste there. But I hope we can agree quickly on that issue as well as picking out the bath/shower units. All I care about there is that they are white. Ours now is off white and it never looks clean.
But he does get the pleasure of picking out the toilet, for some reason men are picky in that area so I told him I didn't care as long as it was pretty and white.
Hope that I can get pictures uploaded soon so I can get caught up on posts.
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