I interupt this blog...

To say that DENNIS QUAID is about to be on the 'Ellen' show!

I gotta go!
*But be sure and scroll down and read about my major accomplishment today!

Oh. My. GOD!!!

I did it! I figured it out all by mylself! I got a VIDEO!!!Wooo-Hoooooooooooooooooo!!!

In the 'Song of Claire':

Who's good?
I'm good!
Who's good?
I'm good!
Oh yeah! I'm good!

And this song could go on for hours!

I'm working on it, I'm working on it!

Geez! Trying to upload all these pictures is a bitch. I'm up to 500 and something pictures now in my camera...I really need to transfer them all to a CD so I can delete everything and start over. Then, when I get just about finished, it says there was a disconnection between the camera and the computer or something, and I have to start all over again!

But, I did change the picture on my profile to my new tattoo, so you've all got something new to look at!

Now I have to go exchange the jacket I bought Friday for the Christmas party we are going to this Friday...I went conservative with all black, but all I can think about is the red and black one...the other one I had to choose from. And just when has it ever been me to go conservative anyway??? I used to wear leather pants and "that red dress" to the Exxon stuff just because is WASN'T conservative. So...I'm going with the red!

So we just got back...

Just got back to San Antonio from Houston. It was like 70 something degrees there, but totally humid. It's 90 degrees here, but feels so much cooler! Gayla was right...Houston is Hell!

Now I know what people are talking about...

When they talk about how hot and miserable Houston is! I have DEFINITELY acclimated to San Antonio! It's really not hot right now...the temp is in the '70's I think, but the HUMIDITY!!! OMG! I cannot cool off! I have to keep taking cold baths.

People who aren't from Houston always come here and complain about it, and I guess I just thought they were wusses or something. It was always just normal for me. I'm not originally from Houston, and we lived in many different places when I was a kid, but we moved here in 1978 and, aside from living in Austin when I was in college, I haven't lived anywhere else. And, although it was nice in Austin and the humidity was low, I was never gone from Houston for this long...I would be home at least once a month. But I haven't been here since June, and it's totally kicking my ass!

Anyway...got to spend most of the day yesterday with my friend, Gayla. Got to see her new house, had some Mexican food for lunch and went shopping for an outfit for me to wear to a party next weekend. Found a great one at Chico's! I love it! I love the jacket part the most...it's black and red...so I need to get some black jeans so I can wear it "everyday". (I'm gonna skip the eyeshadow this time, though! lol!) Met Karen at Starbucks this morning...3 hours later she had to go, but we still didn't get to talk about everything!

It's a nasty, rainy day here...so there isn't much else going on. I just hope it stops raining by tomorrow when we drive back home. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Hmmm...I wonder if this will work?

Um, I don't think it will. But just so you know, I just found out that I am 50% girlish and 50% boyish. And that I reject traditional role models, and that I am just me...I don't try to be anybody else.

ANYONE who knows me at all could have told me that...I didn't need a quiz from Blog Things! lol!

OK-so I'm bored.

TOOTHBRUSHES!

I forgot toothbrushes! And toothpaste, of course. It was horrible! We had to stop at Super Target and pick some up...and then of course I was forced to get a Chai at Starbucks. Terrible. Just terrible. (LOL!!!)

Oh, and Kim...I think the Hill's live outside of Dallas, don't they? Where Hank sells "Propane and Propane Accessories"? lol! Dallas is a 6 hour drive from San Antonio, and a 4 hour drive from Houston, so I don't think I'll be seeing them. Not that there aren't enough dumb asses around here! However...I could possibly run into George and Barbara Bush, or maybe some of the Spurs (ya know...Tim, Manu, Tony...). If so, I'll be sure to tell them 'Hi' from you, and that you really wanted to be here yourself, but you opted for the beach instead! rofl!!!

My day today...

Vacuum. Ask kids to help. Clean. Remind kids to help. Get suitcase out of attic. Pack. Unpack what kids packed and pack for real. Clean bathrooms. Run screaming from Ethan's bathroomand tell him to clean his own! Pack some more. Change kitty litter. Give key to neighbor so she can feed kitties. Remind Ethan to clean his bathroom. Clean again. Finish laundry so I can finish packing. Get one more suitcase out of attic because I never do pack lightly. Try packing some more. Walk back into main parts of house: gameroom and den, and yell at kids for messing it all up again and have nervous breakdown and call off trip for good. Realize I cannot deny my kids theirNana, and get it together. Throw it all in the car and leave the house a total wreck. About halfway to Houston, realize what I forgot...and it's NEVER a kid!


(I posted this under 'Random Thoughts' on Hayley's Blog and realized it was so good AND TRUE that I just had to post it over here, too!)

Happy Thanksgiving EVERYONE, if I can't get back online for a few days! Be safe!

Love you all!
Lauri

The kids are home all week!

Remember the 'Good ol Days', when we had to go to school Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the week of Thanksgiving? Well, that doesn't happen anymore! Kids are out of school aaalllllllllllllllllllll week now. And for a mom who is just on the brink of sanity, that's coming dangerously close to pushing me over the edge!

Actually, things haven't been all that bad though. Yesterday, Ethan had an appointment with his psychiatrist, and after that we went to see 'Chicken Little'. Very cute, but, it had aliens in it...not at all like the 'Chicken Little' we had back in the good 'ol days!

Today we met several friends and their kids at Mama's Cafe for breakfast...they have an outdoor playarea for kids with a giant sandbox, so they all had a great time, and the weather was perfect! Could not have been better! Went to Hobby Lobby after that and got some art supplies! So, I've been working on a thing the rest of the afternoon.

I want to join a Mixed Media Artists group, but I have to submit samples of my work. The funny thing is, I never knew this stuff I've been doing was considered actual art, and I always throw it away! lol! And, what I had kept, I actually threw away in the move. So...working on my "portfolio", so to speak. It's fun but now there is this pressure to it that wasn't there before, and I'm all worried about placement and stuff like that. Before I would just slap some stuff together however I felt like, which is really the way it should be because it's all about self-expression, right? But now that someone is going to be looking at it and judging it...it's just different.

Plus, I think before, I would just do a little piece of the whole...I would have this idea of a whole piece that would be cool but then just do little parts of it, not really knowing how to put it all together. It's always the 'finishing' that gets me! lol! Nope! No ADD there!

So anyway...the kids are out of school all week. But I only have to survive one more day alone with them!

The Party of the Year!

Does Valero know how to throw a party or what?!? Oh my gosh! I have never been to anything like that before! It was in the Alamodome, but you never would have thought you were on the floor of a sports facility. They had completely turned it into a ballroom! There is just no way I could describe this whole thing...the lights; the 4 foot tall bubbling, sparkling centerpieces; the roses and rose petals; the cigars (real and chocolate!); the FOOD, omg and the desserts; the special label champagne and champagne glasses for each couple; the toast and striking up of the band and the confetti exploding and floating down like snow from the ceiling! And of course, that was all AFTER the party outside before we went in to the dinner! Outside the Alamodome, they had black, silver and white balloons all the way up the stair railings, then these big, white hot air balloons floating all around like moons; spotlights that we saw from halfway across town as we were driving down 281; the ice sculptures; the bars every 30 or 40 feet apart and the tables of shrimp, cheeses and other hors douvers (sp?) - not to mention all the waiters and waitresses walking around with trays of drinks and food...Valero Blue Margaritas! Oh my gosh! The whole night was like a wonderland!

I took this picture of Steven and I in the car right as we were backing out of the driveway, on our way there. Aside from the goofy grin, you will notice "the eyeshadow". I know it's not great...not even good...because, aside from a couple of Halloween's and my wedding day (when someone else did it for me) I haven't worn eye shadow since I was a freshman in high school! I don't know what possessed me to go out and buy some for last night, but I did. I think I'll just pass it on to Allison! But, I absolutely love this picture of Steven! He's still so cute! I had to leave the camera in the car though, because it wouldn't fit in my purse...if only I had a camera phone! Aw, who am I kidding? My phone didn't even fit in my purse! lol!

As a last note, I must give a ringing product endorsement for the Revlon Colorstay Lipstick I wore. It really, truly stayed on all night long! I never had to reapply, and it still looked good this morning when I got up, because I passed out in bed without washing my face last night. (What with all the blue margaritas, wine and champagne and all! rofl!)


Cheers for 25 years, Valero Energy!

Yesterday wasn't the greatest day...

I don't know why. Really. Everything was normal. Well, yes I do...I'm just frustrated. I guess I have finally come to the realization that I will never be able to go back to work, yet I still feel the need to do something that is all about me...not wife, not mother, blah, blah, blah...just Lauri. Lauri Smith. She's smart, she's capable, she can make a difference. She used to make a difference. She used to teach-young children in Montessori school, so she actually had some impact on their lives. Then she was a social worker...actually was the Director of a shelter for abused women and their children. Also did Community Education on that topic...went out and talked to groups of all kinds. Even took place in many demonstrations...one very memorable one in front of the Houston City Hall. It even made the news, and the clip that they used was of ME speaking! (It was a rather dramatic demonstration.) I've also taken part in deomonstrations for other social issues that I strongly believe in.

I also always wanted to stay home with my children, especially when they were young. So, I worked up until the day Allison was born...actually was planning on going to work that morning, but woke up in labor at 5 am! Haven't been back since. I've tried doing volunteer stuff, but that never works out either. Apparently, volunteers are never needed in the evenings or on weekends. Only 9-5, Monday-Friday...times I don't have childcare for one or more kids.

But, I always thought I would be able to go back to work eventually. And not just for me, but for my family, too. It is very hard to support a family of 5 on one income. Steven has a good income, and it keeps us going day to day, but that's not saving for the future...retirement, college for the kids, stuff like that...and I would like to be able to help with that.

However, I have come to the realization that my going back to work will probably never happen. Having a child like Ethan, a child with mental illness (or any child) who requires doctor's appointments WEEKLY, not to mention all the teacher conferences, speech therapist conferences, school psychologist conferences, 504 meetings, ARD reviews, being there to be able to give him his medications at the right time, being there to try to somehow help and manage his meltdowns and reactions to changes (though I never really do seem to be able to help) AND whatever else happens to come along with a child diagnosed with Severe ADHD, Anxiety Disorder and Bipolar Disorder, tends to cut into a work schedule big time. I have thought about having my own business as a consultant to other parents of children who don't quite fit into the public school system and need help to get the services the school system SHOULD be providing but try as hard as they can to AVOID providing, but, they would probably want to see some kind of credentials and I don't think a BA in Psychology and Child Development would be what they were looking for; even though I have been advocating for my own child through the school system for 3 years and have pretty much learned how to get what I want/Ethan needs. Hell, the ARD review team in Kingwood (before we moved here) told me I need to go back and get my MA in Education and be a school counselor. But...I would rather help the children get what they need rather than help the school decide who should get what and how much. Just a funny aside...in my last meeting with Ethan's Speech Therapist, I got her to talk herself into calling in the School Psychologist for extra testing! lol!

ANYWAY...my point at the beginning was that I need an outlet for myself and my creativity. That was the point of getting "The Machine". And I thought since it was something I could do at home, I would get to do it a lot. Ha! Silly me! And it just isn't working out the way I thought it would. And when Ethan came home yesterday afternoon and punched Allison and Claire in their noses, and Claire's nose was actually bleeding, that was about all I could take.

Every once in a while it all just comes crumbling down.

So, when Steven got home, I just hunkered down on the couch...passed out about 6:30. The next thing I know it's 10:15, and Steven is waking me up and telling me to go get into bed...he has it all ready. It is so hard to be Ethan's parent, and I could never do it without Steven. Yesterday (and many, many times before) he came home to a family who was completely broken down, and was somehow able to pull it all back together. People always tell me how lucky I am to have married someone like him but I tell them that I wouldn't have settled for anything less. Why would someone settle for anyone who wouldn't be willing to come home and scoop you up and make you feel safe and loved?

Wow! For someone who sat down to blog but wasn't sure what to blog about, I sure did come up with something! I could take any one of these subjects here and do a whole other blog about it separately.

I hope anyone who reads this can follow my train of thought!

Lauri

Because that last post screwed up the picture of my shoes...

And they definitely deserve to be highlighted...here they are again!

How cool are these shoes?

They are the coolest, I tell ya! They are comfortable and I love them. Not to mention that they were originally $50, and I got them on sale for $19.99! They are black...I wanted the brown ones, too, but they didn't have my size. :( But...knowing my obsessiveness about shoes...that isn't going to stop me! lol!

So...moving on...I went to my weekly Super Duper Extra Super Deluxe sewing class last night and OH MY GOD! This machine is so much more than I ever thought it could be! I can hem jeans! I always that took some kind of industrial engined sewing machine. I learned how to do so much! I can do a blind hem, a rolled hem, which is really beautiful, by the way, AND I can JOIN BATTING TOGETHER to make a bigger quilt! (I have always had to limit the size of my quilt to the size of my batting.) I was so excited when I got home, and Steven was like,"Why are you so excited about that?". "Because I didn't know my machine could do that. I just thought it had cute decorative stitches."

And speaking of the machine, I started trying to make this purse yesterday, but while I was trying to figure out the layout and cutting of the pattern, Claire kept turning me back and forth from a 'Good Witch' to a 'Bad Witch' and I got all confused and totally screwed it up. So, I'm trying to salvage that fabric and make something more like a tote bag, because it's just too cute to waste...it's Christmas fabric, full of Santa faces, and every so often, it has a Mrs. Clause. Really cute! I'll let y'all how that comes out. Hmmmmmm...I wonder...

Well, it didn't work. I was hoping I could add that picture of the quilt square down here, but it put it at the top. And now I can't get it off. Just wanted you to see what else I was working on....

Look...if anybody has ANY tips about blogging...adding things, deleting things, WHATEVER...feel free to advise. But nicely, please!;)

Can we talk???

So, I'm on my second cup of coffee and feeling chatty, wondering about a lot of things.

First on my mind is Tyra Banks. Beautiful girl, I'll agree. But, what in the hell qualifies her for her own TV/talk show??? I'm not a big fan of daytime TV, which I guess is good because the kids are usually in charge of that, so it's always on Nick or Disney or PBS. (And yes, necessarily in that order! I'm a bad mom-I don't force PBS on them, nor will I pretend I do.) I will admit an addiction to Law & Order though, which I occasionally get to watch on TNT in the early afternoons if Claire agrees to "Quiet Time". (pppfffft!) But somehow, today, I got control of the TV in the den! I really don't know how this happened, but I decided to actually sit down with a cup of coffee on the couch and turned on the news, and Claire is playing upstairs and I'm still here! So...now...this is where Tyra comes in. Good Morning America is over and The Tyra Banks show comes on. WTH?!? Within the first 15 minutes I have heard her say "Bling-Bling" about 26 times. The second portion of her show involved "Hook-Ups"...she "hooked-up" a teenage girl with kidney problems (not sure if she had a transplant or still needs one) with some Godiva Chocolate and a little sail on a yacht that Jennifer Love Hewitt "once slept on!!!". Yee-fuckin-haw! Why don't you pay the girl's medical bills or give her a kidney or something that I'm sure she needs much more than some chocolate and a ride on a boat JLH once slept on? Pretty much, the rest of the show are the guests praising Tyra and telling her how great she is. This is about the MOST self-serving show I have ever seen. Changing channel now.

Now...about the hair. I'm sure Steven had his own private heart attack, but, he really couldn't say anything because the only reason I did all that is because we have to go to a big, formal Valero dinner/party thing Saturday night. I had to go out and by a new outfit because I certainly don't have anything formal laying around...I haven't even worked in over 11 years (although that BA in Psychology and Child Development is being put to good use!) so I don't even have anything that resembles nice work clothes! lol! I wear nothing but jeans and shorts. And, although I can put things with jeans that make them look rather dressy, no way would that work this weekend! I also went and got my nails done last night, too. I used to be able to opt out of these things but, now that Steven is a manager, it would be "career limiting" if I'm not standing there by his side. Yippy. I am now what I have always feared the most. I'm a 'Corporate Wife'. No more showing up to just regular employee dinners in leather pants! (And when Steven worked for Exxon, THE most conservative company in the world, THAT was fun, let me tell you!!!) I knew all the earrings and tattoos would catch up with me one day! lol! And, BTW, these nails are NOT helping my typing AT ALL!

Ya know, now that I'm thinking about it, instead of hanging my diploma in my study, I need to hang it right by the front door, because this whole house really is my office and research lab! lol!

Well, I'm sure I could just go on all day, but seriously, these nails are a pain in the @$$. I'm gonna have to learn how to type all over again! Plus, Law & Order will be on in a couple of hours...I should do something around here for me to justify lying around watching that later. lol! Have a great day, everyone!

Can I just vent for a minute???

This is 'The Machine'...the Bernina Super Duper Extra Super Deluxe sewing machine that I just got a couple of weeks ago. Every day I have plans to sit down and sew...I have LOTS of projects in mind for the upcoming holidays...BUT something else ALWAYS comes up! This particular morning it's Allison. The phone rings...and when it rings this early, it's never good...and she has forgotten her art homework AND her math homework, AND, MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY, HER PURSE! OMG! How is a 6th grade girl to live??? "Mom! You have to bring it to me!" Me: "Well, when do you need your homework by?" Al: "Well, I don't need my math until 3rd period, and my art until 7th period. But I NEED my purse!" Okay...as long as your priorities are in order.

But jeez! I just want to do the things I need to do...and I don't ask for much, really. (Pppffffffftttttttt! OK-you can stop laughing now!) But later Ethan has his psych appointment, and blah, blah, blah...not much time for sewing.

Well, while I'm out, I think I may as well use that time to go to the Super Duper Sewing and Quilt Store and get some needles that will work with metallic thread.

Whew! I'm feeling a little better getting that out. But, I CAN stay home tomorrow, right??? Tell me I can. Please? Are there other mom's out there who are always having to run and run and run, and it's always at the very last minute, or is it just me???

It was a hard day!

For Claire, anyway! Now that I think about it, I'm worn out too. I went and got my hair cut, colored and highlighted...of course, I get it cut often enough, but I have only ever gotten the highlight job once, and that was 7 or 8 years ago...not sure if it was before or after Ethan was born.

Anyway, had to drop Claire off at Kid Space. She did NOT want to go today! Oh well, she certainly couldn't go with me! It took like 3 hours and $200 to get my hair done, and it really doesn't look that much different! Not $200 different, for sure! Steven is gonna have a heart attack...I told him it would probably be about $120.

I had to rush to get Claire picked up and home before Ethan got off the bus, and she fell asleep in the car. I had the camera, so I took a picture. I think she had fun at Kid Space after all.

And I cannot believe I just spent $200 on my HAIR!!!

Lookee What I Did!

Allison and I saw little bags like these at Target the other day, but they were for Christmas. (Like gifts for teachers, filled with cookies.) She wanted to have some for her teachers with penguins on them, because they are the Team 6B Penguins. So I made a prototype. I decided to make a Thanksgiving one with a turkey made from Claire's handprint. I think it came out pretty cute if I do say so myself! I'm also working on a purse for a Secret Santa exchange...I'll post a picture of that when I'm done.

Pardon My Mess...Under Construction

I'm trying to figure out this whole blog thing...posting pictures, links, and other stuff. I'm not very good at this, so I just play with it for a while, say "Abracadabra!", and hope it works. Usually it doesn't.

I think I may have the picture thing down, kinda. That works most of the time now. However, I'm having trouble posting 'Links'. I'm trying to post one to Haley's blog, but that isn't working for some reason. And I don't necessarily support 'Google News', it's just one of those links that magically appeared! I would like to post other links too, eventually. As soon as I can figure it out. Just bear with me.

AWESOME! TOTALLY AWESOME!!!

Another fellow Blogger
">Link

Hayley, put a link on her blog to mine! This is the first time this has ever happened to me and all I can do is listen to Madonna's 'Like a Virgin' in my head, over and over again! I feel like a total celebrity!

I'm also trying to post a link to her blog from this post right here...I don't know if this is gonna work, or how, but, if you can, hop on over there and check her out...and her absolutely brand new perfectly wonderful little baby, Isabella.

If this actually works, it'll be like the perfect day for me...a new accomplishment in the magic of the internet world AND new shoes! It really doesn't get any better than that!

Thanks Hayley, and take it easy!

Me and Mom

This is a picture I took of a picture I have of me and my mom. This was taken on Valentine's Day, 1967, and I was 6 months old.

My mom was/is seriously beautiful! Just look at those perfectly straight, white teeth! She's about 5'6" tall, and in that picture, probably 105 to 110 lbs. And long, skinny legs! She should have been a model!

I was adopted, so I didn't inherit all of those great features, and because she never had a baby, she still, to this day, has a flat tummy!!! What I find so funny is how everybody always says we look alike...and we totally don't! I'm much shorter (and rounder!) and very fair skin. She is tall and skinny and very dark/olive toned skinned. Cajun. That's what she is! I think they are just being polite when they say things like that, or trying to make conversation, but really...come on people! Come up with something else! Some people think maybe it's our personalities, but that's not it, either.

Anyway, she's a great mom and a great Nana, I love her very much and just wanted this picture out there. It's one of my favorites!

THE Machine!

So last week, I got this new sewing machine. The Bernina Super-Duper Extra Super Deluxe. I think Bernina technically calls it the 440QE, but that in no way describes it's excellence! (Thank you again, Steven, for getting me this Super-Duper Extra Super Deluxe Sewing Machine!)

This thing is so super, there are 6, yes, 6, New Owner's classes to take, where they teach you all about it and how to use all the features. I didn't even get ONE class when I got this computer! (And it was my first!) It was sink or swim. I had to figure it out all on my own!

So last night was the first class. This was the one where they teach you how to thread it, wind a bobbin, sew a straight stitch, and basic stuff like that. I'm thinking, if you cannot sew a straight stitch, what the fuck are you doing spending that much money on the Super-Duper Extra Super Deluxe??? (Thank you, Steven! I love you!)

But, I did learn a couple of new things, like it has this handle thingy that comes down under the table from the machine, and you use your knee to press it over, and it lifts the presser foot up just enough for you to turn your fabric like a 90 degree angle or whatever, after you've programmed in that you want the needle to stop in the down position all the time, so if you are sewing and have to turn a lot of corners...like a quilt...your hands never have to leave the fabric, and your material doesn't get all screwed up, then you have to readjust it and all that shit.

Anyway...it's totally cool! (Steven, you are so sweet! Thank you!) And I love to make quilts! Choosing the colors and pattern is the best part, then I love just putting the tops together...like big puzzles. I have always handquilted before though, because I thought machine quilting would take away something special, but with this machine, I can machine quilt it and make it look more special than if I had hand quilted it! (It also does embroidery, but that's another class! lol! It has something to do with getting these embroidery CDs, then hooking your laptop up to it and, voila! lol!)

I really do love to make quilts, but have never had any real luck with machines. They were always fairly cheap, and it was more frustrating to try and use them than it was to stifle by instinct to create, so I just never really did much. But this machine is like a dream! (Steven, you are my favorite husband!) Now, if the kids will just leave me alone....

The time has come...

Last summer, Allison started asking about when she can shave her legs. And I do mean legs only, because I can't even fine one little armpit hair, even with a microscope. She was about to enter middle school, so I told her if everybody in 6th grade is shaving, you can to, but let's wait and see.

Well, of course, EVERYONE ELSE shaves, and my little Allison is the only one left with hairy legs. So, I went out and got her an electric shaver. (I was worried about her using a blade.)

It actually sat around for a few days before she decided to use it. But when she did, I decided that THIS was a moment that needed documenting! I would sneak up on her and take a picture! When she caught me, she turned around and yelled, mortified, "Mom! What are you doing?!?". Of course I responded, "I can totally Blog this, Al!"!

I think it's really true . . . the best part about having children is embarrassing them!  

I love getting surprises in the mail!

This is why I love eBay so much! You buy stuff, then forget about it, then you get a surprise in the mail when you least expect it!

I just got my Starbucks coaster for my desk, to use while I'm drinking coffee in my Starbucks mug. Too cool! And it came all the way from China, so it really took a long time to get here!

I don't think I've ever gotten mail from China before. Hmmm...reminds me of when Ethan said (a few months ago), "Good thing I wasn't born in China, because I can't even speak Chinese!" rofl!

Ah ha! Maybe this'll work!

I'm an aunt! Brian and Kenny finally decided to put their paternal instincts to use, and got a puppy-Groban!
I think Aunti Lauri will be doing lots of Christmas shopping at Petsmart this year! 

This can't be possible, can it?

A whole week with nothing to do? Nothing on the calendar? I've gotta be missing something.... OK, I know Ethan has an appointment with Dr. B one day this week (I think Thursday). But that's all? Seriously. I have to be missing something!

A nice Saturday...

Started off with some coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts, so you know it was gonna be good! Allison had an all day birthday party, so I dropped her off and went to Sherwin Williams, with whom I had placed a wallpaper order back in September, and have yet to receive it. Of course, it was only supposed to take about 3 days to get in. Yeah. Right. So I went and got my deposit back.

SW Idiot Dude: What? You don't want it anymore?
Me: Uh, no. It should have been in 2 months ago. I'm pretty sure someone here can't do their job and didn't order it. I just want my $25 deposit back.

Then we went to Wal-Mart. My friend Gayla always talks about the toothless people there, but I've only ever seen one. But today, OMG! There was a 'greeter' handing out markers to the kids, and she only had like one big tooth in front, and these HUMONGOUS EARLOBES that almost touched her shoulders! She was talking to me, and when I looked up at her, I was actually startled! Poor lady...I hope I didn't look like I felt but, knowing my face, it was all over the place.

Then I got to go BY MYSELF to Michael's! Which is always dangerous. My creative streak is coming back in a big way, and I'm spending way too much money on stuff to make other stuff with. Not to mention the $3500 Bernina Sewing Machine I just bought! But I absolutely love it! As long as it works, I'll never need another one.

Ya know, now that I'm thinking about it, I think it was such a good day because the kids were pretty much in the care of Steven today!

And there is something wrong with my damn digital camera! It was have some problem, and even though the batteries were fairly new, I put new ones in. It worked for a little bit, now...nothing. Son of a bitch.

I think I'll end this day with a nice hot bath and a glass of wine!

I didn't want to post again until...

Things settle down here but, I don't think that is ever going to happen. It's been a rough week...Remy died very suddenly and the kids were very upset. Especially Allison. Allison was Remy's person. She would stay up on her bed all day, and sleep with her at night. Really, I didn't want to post again until I could give Remy a proper blog, complete with pictures. Hopefully I can take care of that this weekend. The vet just called, and Remy's ashes are ready to be picked up, so I guess I will do that today. I don't want to leave them there all weekend, but I have to work it in between Ethan's ARD, Claire's tantrums, going to the grocery store and getting a birthday gift for Allison's friend who's party is tomorrow morning.

All you people who are thinking about having kids...just realize that it never stops!

Our first COLD Halloween!

Ooo-wee it gets cold here up north on Halloween! OK- I know SA is actually west of Houston and not north, but it seems like it's north because the humidity is so low.

Yesterday afternoon it started raining and the wind started blowing. When Ethan got home from school about 3:30 it was still hot outside. When Allison got home 30 minutes later, it was freezing! But...that's Texas weather for ya!

We got started with the trick-or-treating about 6:15. After 4 houses, Ethan and Claire wanted to go home! Poor things! But it was cold and very windy. Of course, Allison went on for another hour and a half! lol! We had fun. Got to meet a few new neighbors, but not as many as I had hoped. (Since we are in a brand new subdivision, everyone is new.) Several of them had all their cars in the driveway, but all their lights turned off inside and outside the house. I guess you'll always have your anti-social neighbors, but our little neighborhood is so small, there is no reason we shouldn't all know everyone.

Anyway...we got plenty of candy to go around and have TONS left over! Hope everyone had such a great Halloween!