I've got Gadgets and Gizmos Aplenty

I've got whozits and whatzits galore. Thingamabobs? I've got 20....

OK So who can name that movie/song in 3 notes??

I have a confession. I have become a total gadget geek. One major purchase and one other major experience today, and I am sunk.

I used to be a normal human being who did things the old fashioned way - by hand. I mashed my potatoes by hand. I sew by hand (ok ok I don't know how to use a machine and all I can do is sew buttons, but still, it makes a nice story....). But this weekend? I have gone all gadget-Rambo.

First, Daughter and I went out on Black Friday at 545 am. Oh yes We did. I didn't even know why we were going. I think just because she wanted to and she was going because I wanted to. But it turned into a good trip. We came up with ideas for the grandparents in Penny's, laughed a ton over silly stuff, got a lot of great bargains, and enjoyed each other's company. Oh yeah and we bought ourselves some new duds.

Then we went to Circuit city on the way home where they had the iRobot Roomba on sale. I've been eyeing these babies for months. I actually did some investigation into the company and the technology last year for something work related and was duly impressed by my discoveries. But hundreds of dollars for a little scurrying vacuum that takes 45 minutes to do what I can do in 7 minutes? Hmmmm. But as time is getting more scarce and the doghair is multiplying in triplet now, I am thinking otherwise. And then I see it. The "5th generation" model for a whopping $100 less than anywhere else even close - even $115 less than Kohl's 4a.m. earlybird sale. It's clearly screaming my name. So I buy it. Turns out they mismarked the little robotbaby. But the cashier agreed I had the right model per the printout on the shelf and gave it to me for the silly price. Nirvana

It does work - cleaned my living room of all traces of dog hair. While I sat on the phone and chatted and watched it. (um wait aren't I supposed to be doing something more productive with my time? Well I had to watch it the first time to make sure it did it right).

Then today Son and I went grocery shopping and I remembered the portable scanners. What's that you say? Load bags into your cart, grab a scanner, scan and bag as you go, plug the scanner in at the end, get a grand total, swipe your credit card and exit the store in 37 seconds? Yep. Just like that. AND I got an extra $6 off my purchases for using the scanner. I kid you not. Son and I had a ball with the thing. And when we changed our mind on a purchase and put something back? No sweat. Easy to delete an item. Produce? No problem - weigh, spit out sticker, scan. Badabing badaboom. I am in love. I am going grocery shopping tomorrow just to play with the scanner again.

I think I need to call the Geek Squad....

Milestones Memories and Miracles

Another Holiday. The passing of time. Holidays gone by merging wildly into one another. Thanksgiving of my youth: the year I decreed that if the girls made dinner and cooked all day, the boys should NOT get to sit around and watch football while we cleaned up, and the family agreed.... a holiday tradition is borne. The Holidays of my teenage years, centered around the oldest running high school girls' flag football game on Wednesday and the high school boys' football game on Thursday morning: dad running the lines, brother as drum major, me in the band or on the field playing ball, depends on the year... all good times. The holidays of college, coming back to Homecoming and meeting up with friends, comparing notes, puffing out chests, embellishing college tales, eyeing each other with a dash of angst, a smidgen of longing, a dollop of heartache. The holidays of my early marriage, me anxious to get in the car and zoom up the highway to football and food and family, him dragging and complaining that I packed too much. Again. The holidays of my children, Thanksgivings in Spain or South Carolina or Maryland, with his family or no family, but always blessed with good food and good friends; Last Year my first Holiday Alone as the kids stayed with Dad and I trekked north once again to my family, reunited with friends and parties and games and good times while adjusting to the New Life. And this year. Yet another rebirth. Another anxious and excited time. Cajoling the children to hurry pack pack pack. We're going HOME. Realizing I forgot to have the oil changed and hoping the truck will be fine til we get there. Packing sweaters. Packing for dogs. Packing for cold. Making lists of food to buy for pies when we get there because I forgot to shop. What have I been doing this week anyway??? calls with the nieces and nephews and plans to go out, to play, to game, to enjoy each other's company. To be HOME in my parents' house, again blessed to be surrounded by family, friends, dogs, memories. Giving thanks for the many blessings. Giving thanks for new memories...

HELD

A multitude of feelings.....

Sometimes it's a feeling so deep, a desire unspeakable, the desire to be held in someone's arms.

Othertimes it's the inescapable chains that bind, the angst that no amount of wiggling can loosen, the feeling of being held back.

Then there's the look, the stare of another, whether it's the TSA man walking down the line of passengers and looking each in the eye, or the gaze from the green-eyed, dark skinned young man as he rings up your purchase, it's that eye-locking gaze and the feeling you are held spell-bound for that instant.

A new puppy, yours or another's, and the feeling overcomes you as your eye captures that soft, fluffy, downy new fur, the pouty face, the floppy ears, the waggly tail, and you just know he needs to be held.

The relief and gratitude as you sprint away from security towards the gate, as you realize that the plane has been held just for you.

One word. Many feelings.

Thanks San Diego Momma for this Prompt Tuesday!

Redefining Dreams

"Life is what happens while you're making other plans."

That's one of my fall-back quotes from college days. Still true every day of my life.

This weekend, while down in Florida with the Captain, playing dominoes with my Pirate friends and having lots of good laughs, it comes up that a certain house is for sale. Deco Dave, our Jamaican/New Zealand friend is in town. Deco Dave (who I'm pretty sure is my long lost brother, we have an amazing relationship like that) has a gorgeous house in the Grove that he kept despite moving out of the country. I love the location, the house, the guest house out back, the tree HOUSE with marble flooring, everything about Davy's house (ok ok it's worth well over a million so yeah, it has some "amenities.") Mostly I love the neighborhood - walking distance to town and the marina, lovely address with lots of Pirate friends in the neighborhood. Turns out the house for sale used to be the Captain's house - before his then wife decided it wasn't a place to raise kids and made him sell it and move across the state. Sigh. A few years later, Deco Davy's brother bought it and lived there for a number of years. Pirate neighborhood indeed.

I suddenly got the craziest ideas of buying the house. Ideally, I'd buy the house in 1.5 years, when my house is being sold and I have equity and all that. But the house is for sale now and at bargain basement prices. We start scheming and doing crazy math and coming up with creative financing plans. To be neighbors with DecoDave? priceless.

Next day Captain and I went to see the house (listed by another Pirate friend who gave us the code for entrance). The yard is perfect - lots of room for Queen Bee and Stinky to run, and already fenced in. Amazingly, much of the work the Captain did on the house is still in evidence 15 years later - clearly he has a good and careful hand for such improvements. And the latest owner revamped the entire (tiny) kitchen in very good taste. The windows have the original lead panes of 100 years ago. It already survived Hurricane Andrew back in '92, so we know it's hardy. Hardwood floors throughout. Nifty pass-throughs from the bedroom to the kitchen where the Captain's kids used to peek out and say, "We'd like cheeseburgers fries and a coke" while the Captain and his wife were making dinner 15 years ago. Much charm. My corner hutch would fit nicely in the dining room, as would the buffet and dining room table....

But as I walked around the house, it didn't feel like my next house. I have been toying with moving to Florida in 1.5 years. Where? I don't know - probably east coast, probably miami-ish. On the water? In a house? In a condo? I don't know.

At least now I know where I won't live. I realized this 100 year old house, while full of charm and in a great neighborhood, isn't me. I don't have the skills of the Captain to fix the many things that are likely to go wrong. [and NO the Captain and I won't be living together] I don't have the time or energy to "take back" much of the overgrown vines and plants in the way I would want to to make it My yard. I don't have the energy to revamp the bathrooms that haven't been redone since probably the 50's.

And so the Dream is redefined or maybe just given some definition.

At least now I know that I think it will be a house - I can't imagine not having at least a small yard. And it will be newer with a master bathroom and walk in closet like I've always wanted. And a decent sized kitchen. And a garage. And the charm of the neighborhood in the Grove where the Pirates live.

Where? I still don't know. But where not, well, I guess knowing that is some progress?

What a Wicked Week

Resorting to Random Posting that isn't even very funny or entertaining....but I'm way behind and leaving town again...

• Ex drops an email bomb that gee, he might move to Florida like, next week and how would I feel about that and I'd just handle the kids and all right ? Which led to an actual telephone conversation (we only communicate by email) in which he decided that maybe he'd think about moving a little more. Oh but first he asked the kids if they might like to move to Florida with him. And then my head exploded....fortunately, they laughed at him so I didn't really have to do much about that except say, "Interesting that you would've asked THEM before discussing the idea with ME. But then I should expect as much." Nuf Said

• Put on my big girl suit again (twice in a month!) and got to argue in Court again! That might sound weird, but in my legal field we don't get to court much and when we do, usually the Partners get the fun. And it's always great when the Judge starts the hearing by saying to the other side, "Now they [me] don't have a real high bar here. And I think they pretty much meet their burden. So what do you have to say about that?" Yeah it was a good day. Winning is fun.

• Had all THREE dogs to myself Wednesday night - the night before the big hearing (above) - kids were on a school retreat, Ex out of town. Queen Bee always sleeps in my bed and, well, Stinky does if she's around. So I couldn't very well leave Dumb Runaway Dog (DRD) out now, could I? So 3 dogs in bed. With me. And a bone that DRD smuggled in. And at 2 a.m. they apparently got the call to go DANCING b/c DRD and Stinky started bouncing and dancing in the bed. Just for the hell of it. 2 a.m. Queen Bee? Slept through it all....

• Spent 2 hours trying to log on to my work computer this morning. TWO HOURS WITH the help of Tech Support (katydidnot - I think I need to borrow your BF!) The problem? A problem with my "Network profile" which should have been discovered in the first 15 seconds of my first call.....I even said, "Have you checked my profile?" (Yeah I have profile issues. Imagine that). Grrrrr.

• So now that I've lost all the time I should've been working, I'm blogging. Yep. Life is like that.

• Getting on a plane to go SOUTH to see the Captain tonight. Didn't hide the luggage from the kids like I usually do (they go back to Dad's tonight).

Son said, "Where you going?"

me "Florida."

SON: "Captain?"

Me: "YEP"

Son: "That's weird. you're too old to date. [snort]"

while Daughter's conversation went like this: "Where you going?" Me: Florida .......

Daughter? Anything? Anything at all? Oh pretending I don't exist. Ok. Thanks.

• Daughter broke up with the BF - after almost 11 months. He is also Son's best Friend. And she didn't tell me until days later when I asked if she were still mad at him. It bothered me when she wouldn't tell me why she was mad at him - gone is the child who tells me everything. Now it takes 2 days to tell me he's history? Sigh. I guess she really is 16 isn't she? I guess I should be thankful for the 15 years of unending conversation and stop being a DQ.
• And last BUT MOST CERTAINLY NOT LEAST THANK YOU BLOGGY (and bloggy/real-world) FRIENDS The response to this post below was amazing. I was feeling pretty stupid and now, well, I feel normal. Just the other day, I took a survey at 5 minutes for mom and they asked, "Why do you blog?" and my instant response, "Sanity and finding out that how I feel just might be 'normal.'" Once again, you all have come through. Thanks!!!!

The Fatal Flaw - being a Melter

Imagine this

Here

Yep that's pretty much it.

I have a fatal flaw (just one you ask? Oh I'm sure there are more)

My most annoying (personally i.e. to me) fatal flaw: I'm a melter.

Now you might think I'm a strong girl. I live alone. I have 2 fab 16 YO twins, I am climbing the partner ladder in a big firm, I teach Sunday School and volunteer in the kids' school, I do pro bono legal work. Yep, all around strong chick.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

And then today happens.

The medical appointment I've waited 4 weeks for and called about every week to see if there's a cancellation so that I can slide in earlier? CANCELED

And when rescheduling I find out that the test I am so eagerly awaiting? Well that will happen on the SECOND appointment, not the first. Yep a follow-up.

My insurance is changing with the life change and I have no idea of any of this medical stuff is covered b/c I can't understand our benefits write up. (and I'm supposed to be a lawyer).

A GIANT zit is growing on my chin. Wait not giant. GINORMOUS. Did I mention I'm (maybe)seeing BF this weekend?

The trip to see BF in Fla? BF is now on call and I might have to cover SOCCER.

SIS inLaw calls in for backups over the weekend. When I don't have the kids. Either I get a driver for Daughter to soccer tournament or cancel trip to take her myself so that Sis In Law can have a weekend off (a much deserved weekend)

Female parts go haywire - (any more is TMI trust me)

Brief that should be filed by noon is still being played with by partners at 6pm....

FIL calls for ride to get car and you can't say no b/c he always helps you out.

Pretty much all of the above hit within 15 minutes today.

And what did I do? Attack with a plan? NO

focus and organize the things I can change? NO

Sit at my desk and melt? YES PICK ME PICK ME

I totally folded. It's like life is hanging on by a thread. And when any one of the pieces doesn't fall into place, the whole damned thing comes crashing down. I closed my door and cried. I mentally broke up with BF. I canceled all trips for the next 40 years of my life. I mentally quit my job and then remembered the mortgage payments.

Time lapsed 30 seconds.

Text BF and plead emotional breakdown. And admit my silly meltdown and he just said he understood. Sigh.

Apologize to secretary for biting her head off.

Give up on partner filing brief and leave office to help Dad with car.

Call Dr.s and figure out where to go from here, minimizing more waiting time.

But on ride home remember that my first reaction? TOTAL MELTDOWN.

And I am ashamed. And I wonder, do other people react like this? Or am I just a

Thems my Bitches

Hey Don't Blame me -that's what Daughter Said!

Yes they were all sitting on her. Even DRD (on the right) was being cute. I admit it.

Another First in my World of New Firsts

Standing at the Neighborhood Wine & Dine party - an annual event that usually draws nearly 100 people - talking to some neighbors and new friends, enjoying some wine, stuffing our faces with good food, when along comes the Hostess. She leans over and discreetly whispers in my ear, "Just so you know, [Ex] is here." One second of shock, then a smile and a "Great! I'm glad he came." The Hostess seemed relieved with my response. And I pondered what this all meant.

We have a few "annual" parties in the neighborhood. This one is particularly awesome, but others are also lots of fun. For the past year, the neighbors have invited us both and let us figure out what to do. I think some of them thought that we were civil to each other. I generally RSVP'd YES but he never RSVP'd and he would not go to the party. His loss. I told the neighbors there was no reason on my side of things that we couldn't both be there.

I wasn't expecting him at this one - he didn't RSVP as of the other day (they used Evite, so you can see who is invited, who said yes, no, maybe. Per usual he hadn't responded). I thought he should go - they are very much his friends, but hey, his issues not mine.

The layout of the house and the size of the party was such that he could stay "downstairs" and I could be upstairs and he could successfully avoid me. But maybe he didn't know my sister, Middle Child, was in town....

Standing in the kitchen an hour or so later, I looked down toward the "downstairs" (only 5 stairs so you can easily see) and there she is. Middle Child is talking to Ex. The man who wrote a short, curt "you are out of my life" note to my parents last Christmas and returned their Christmas gift is talking to my sister. I have no doubt who initiated that conversation.

I am no wall flower. I think that has been pretty well established on these pages. But Middle Child? Next to her I am not just a wall flower, I am a wilted wall flower. I was hopelessly curious about their conversation but pretended not to notice. Eventually I did make my way downstairs (hell, if he wanted to segregate himself, he could. But there were folks down there I wanted to visit and I wasn't going to let him cage me in!). He retreated and eventually left. And Middle Child casually said, "Oh I had a nice conversation with Ex. Have you seen his hands from the fire?** I told him he was an idiot for not getting medical attention." Yep, that's my sister all right.

Much later in the evening, as sister and I weaved our way up the street (I'm pretty sure we walked twice as far as we needed to if we had only walked a straight line), she poured it all out. How she told him she loved him and gave him a hug. And he hugged her back and said the same. She was sober or at least near-so when she talked to him. As was he. And today as I drove her to the train station she said she was shocked at the civil conversation and warm feelings, particularly after last year's note to the parents and his clear message that he did not want to speak to anyone in my family ever again.

I can't explain any of it. Perhaps the finality of Friday will allow him to begin to move on. Perhaps he just didn't want to miss the best party of the year and figured there would be enough people there that he could pretty much avoid me. [me yes, my sister, no] Perhaps he just wanted to get out of his house for a few hours.

Whatever the reason, it is yet another step in a new direction. Hopefully in a more positive direction. I still have my doubts that we could ever be friends, at least any time soon. He made that clear recently in a long note he sent. But maybe some day, when we're at one of our kid's weddings, we will smile and talk and tell stories of how this grown up child now getting married used to do the darndest things as a kid. And we'll laugh together. Just Maybe.


**Ex was doing laundry Friday when an electrical fire broke out behind the washer/dryer the outlet box. Dumb Runaway Dog finally earned her keep by barking like a mad dog until he came to see about the commotion. He pulled out one of the appliances, reached into the fire and ripped the cord out of the wall. Then he put out the fire. The electrical connection and appliances were nearly 40 years old. I am thankful he was home and DRD saved the house and him. I am not surprised Ex will not seek medical attention but will keep going. I could fill at least a week's worth of posts about him doing similar things....

New Hair, New Life

Yes Yes people you were all right - and Carol P, you were the closest with Pink Hair (and I'm seriously considering your PINK HOUSE idea....just kidding).

Dennis talked me into THIS: (Yes I am aware the photos are blurry - self timing camera issues)

Yes after 42 years of blonde (give or take a few years of misguided natural brown), I am now a REDHEAD. It's a little bit too red, but it should tone down in time. Or I'll get it adjusted. The cut is adorable (not the greatest photos, but I do love the cut). It's not real short. I am not a short haired girl, but shorter than it was.

And why now? Why yes, THE DIVORCE WAS FINAL TODAY - WHY YES WE DID HAVE A HEARING THIS MORNING AND WE ARE FREEEEEEEE OF EACH OTHER!

I say free of each other because I think he was as ready as I was to move on. The saddest part of the whole hearing was having his Dad on the witness stand (crazy state law that you have to have a witness corroborate that you've lived apart and haven't had sex with each other for the last 12 months. LIKE HE WOULD KNOW?!). Anyway, the question, "Do you think there's any chance for reconciliation?" (A required question). And Dad looked at me and looked at him and sadly said, "Unfortunately, no." I have no regrets in the decision to end this except to the extent it breaks certain family member's hearts. BUT Daughter has told me that her relationship with her father is much better since the divorce. I tried to tell him 16 months ago that the reason we needed to do this and not wait any longer was the kids were turning nasty toward the opposite-sex parent, but he denied it and said I was wrong. Gee, VINDICATED again. Daughter will never tell him this, but at least I know it was the right thing to do not only for me but also for the kids.

So tonight the GIRLS are coming over. My sissie is on a train coming down to see me as I type this. We are going to crank up the Margarator and have a kick ass time. Girls Night Out Indeed. The only thing that could make it perfect would be to have all my bloggy friends/bitches with me!

When the Comments are Better than the Post

Many times here Next Door the visitors and friends are way funnier than the Girl ever could be. Just like in real life. When I posted THIS below, the comments didn't let me down.


I think the winner is cousin JO with this: (I actually snorted at #3. I kid You Not):
1. Ate an entire Large pizza with everything and gained 8 lbs.
2. Got engaged. [note from Girl Next Door - almost as bad as Suzy's Shower Comment, but not quite]
3. Offed a certain dog.

Very Close runners up are Persnickety Ticker with this:
My imagination has wandered into the territory of getting rid of evidence related to the F*tard...

And the Feisty Irish Wench with this:
Oh dear....it doesn't involve cadavers does it?

And Suzy? I almost crashed my car reading your comment - no baby showers ever. Never ever. Bite Your Tongue.


I will give you more of a clue, but I can't tell you until after tomorrow morning.

It has something to do with THIS MAN










And the Girl who USED to look like THIS:






Any guesses??

Another "What Have I Done?"

Um, well, there was no post yesterday. Because I am still getting over the shock of what I have done. And I'm still not sure how or when to post it. Or what I'm going to do about it. I think I need to fix it.

Even my secretary said, in shocked disbelief, "What have you DONE?!"

So until I decide how to deal with it, you'll just have to guess....

OH and MOM? don't get yourself crazy - you already know about this.

What's with all the Minty Stuff?

In the beginning there was this:








and maybe This:












And for ice cream lovers, of course there was This



But recently, everywhere I look there is this


Or This

And then yesterday, when I was helping myself to the office candy in the candy dishes, what the heck is THIS

And then it struck me. You are all trying to get the sensation. But you will never. I repeat never. Be this

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed this minty wanna-be sensation??

are they trying to give me fresh breathe and chocolate all at the same time?

And who are they kidding?

Memory Monday Halloween Sweet 16

Another "recent" memory for Memory Monday...

Date: October 31, 2008

PLACE: Casa De Girl Next Door

Present: Girl, Daughter, Son, Grandparents and about 30+ Friends

Occasion: Sweet 16 Halloween Party
After over a month of buying out every dollar store in creation, creating homemade decorations and giveaways from this House of Hell (scroll down to rant on Michael's....), kissing the feet of my Mother the Angel who baked the two cakes so that I could decorate them, allowing sleepovers on school nights so that the decorating could commence a day early. It Finally Arrived. The Birthday Party.

(The cakes my Mommy made and I decorated....)

Stinky the baby puppy dog (renamed for anonymity from here-to-forward - her real name is not stinky but trust me, she is a stinker!) took to growling at everyone including her own Owner Daughter b/c I wouldn't let her be put down. Oh no. Too much food and balloons and things to Eat and Die From:

Stinky is a Punkin!

Stinky Biting on Queen Bee's Angel Wings. Because Queen Bee Truly is the Angel Among Us...

Kids came and went under the watchful Eye of the Mom Who Knows all but sometimes chooses to pretend not to.

They ate food as fast as I could bring it out (no not Pizza but Tailgate rolls and lasagna!), played games, watched movies, and generally made me laugh.

Nice take on the Joker Character...

They greeted my parents with a firm handshake and a How Do You Do. These kids raised right and knowing that Mama GND would kick their butts if they forgot their manners.....

Grandpa gets into the Decorating.

The parents came and hang with me off and on through the night, lamenting and enjoying at the same time the passing of 16 years.

About 10 sweet kids slept over, so it was pancakes and strawberries (and coffee!!!) for 12 the next morning before soccer practice.


My Daughter, and her BFF's, both my "other daughters." Great kids....sigh.and my secret Boyfriend on the calendar in the back (a gift from Daughter....)

And Daughter and Son had it all cleaned up before my Brother and sis-in-law arrived at 2pm for the Next Night's events.

Yep For Real - I do love my kids. Happy Birthday Kids.


Daughter and the BFF as Batman and Batgirl. Too Cute for Words....



Sadly the only photo I got of Son being "Austin Powers." He was truly hilarious. Only a video would've done him justice anyway. He's one of those "voice dudes" who can impersonate anyone. He cracks me up every day, never mind Halloween!!

I didn't get Gram and her cake, just the cakes.

And the basement with the cauldrons and lights and spiders on the walls and spooky things everywhere? Nope didn't get a photo of those...sorry..... (OH I really am a Bad Photo Mom) But if you look in the background of Son's photo you do see some of the skeleton garland and such...

But TT did get the witches brooms lighting up the front walk (there were 4 in total)

She's BAAAAACCCCK Oh Yes She Is

Well, as many of my bloggy faithfuls, from the Bitches to the moms to my Florida Gang know, Ex found the blog. I knew it was only a matter of time, but I honestly never knew what I'd do when he did. So, I put it on invite only and shut it down.

But determined man that he is to hang on to me and my life, despite his protestations and his "get out of my life and you don't exist" attitude towards me, seems he very much is interested in what I have to say and who I have to say it to. Not content with one night of 2 1/2 hours of reading, he has resorted to cache versions. And then Ex found all my bloggy friends and all the places I've posted from Mrs. G to We Make Three to Suzy. And More.

And you know what I realized? LET HIM. I've said it before and I'll say it again: This is my Bloggy and I'll Blog if I want to.

Many of my supporters and virtual friends and not-so-virtual friends have pointed out, "Maybe he'll finally figure out a little something about you." You know what? I. Don't. Care if he does. It's not about him.

It's all about ME. My Life. I've said it since my very first post, before I went public, that this is about ME and MY journey. It's not a place to bash him, although that sometimes happens when I feel He Deserves it. And it's also a place where I say good things about him.

But I digress.

It's about ME. So The Girl Next Door is BACK and HERE TO STAY. And boy, does she have a lot to say now. I have been quiet for a whole week while I traveled and worked and then dealt with HIM.

If he wants to stay the voyeur and look into my life? Go ahead. Kind of like when he moved out but left the cybernanny on MY home computer and continued to read MY emails and track MY life. He doesn't seem to get it that this is MY life. Not his. And I don't answer to him anymore.

Just another reason why I am vindicated. And know that I am exactly where I should be.

So to all my readers, expect a post every day this week, because I am waaaaaaay behind!

But for now I have to unpack and unwind and get ready for KIDS! My favorite time of the week ;-)

Going Out Of Town

The Girl Next Door is going out of town to a conference in NYC for a few days. So the post on the "Sweet 16" will have to wait - yes I got a few photos and the kids had a great time. Only 10 slept over so that was do-able.

The post on the High School Band Fundraiser "We're going to Disney" Charity Auction on Saturday will have to wait. Why yes I did snag a great purse and some other items. And danced the polka with my brother while the Jazz band played; and danced a waltz with my dad. That was so cool.

The post on the 364 things your teenagers should be able to do for themselves but can't seem to remember 5 minutes from now will have to wait.

The post on why I am so glad I do not have 3 dogs and which one would make a nice rug will have to wait....

Going to the Big Apple! See you later this week....