GIVING EQUALS RECEIVING

For almost a week now I have been helping my Grandmother with her new house. The place needed a little cosmetic work. I've been stripping wallpaper, painting, cleaning out the pond, painting, building an arbor, painting, hanging blinds and curtains, painting and shopping. I spent 2 1/2 hours at Lowe's with my 2 children. I am tired but I am beyond excited about the changes we have made. The funny thing is she keeps thanking me and telling me she will never be able to repay me. Repay me.... I am so reenergized by being able to help her. Yes, my grandmother holds a very special place in my heart and we have always been close, but I would have the same "high" if I was helping a stranger. The moments are frequent when I feel this way and pray that some day I will be able to "give" on a regular basis. I really used to do it every day. When I was working and doing hair I would constantly be throwing in stuff for free just because I liked to see people smile. I loved for a woman to leave my chair feeling good about herself. It was my passion. I remember seeing Chris Rock's wife on Oprah and her talking about "having everything" and thought she would be happy but she was wrong. Things don't make you happy. She took her wealth and opened a place for women where they taught them to make it in this world. She gave them makeovers, educated them, gave them suits and really taught them to make it on their own. That was huge to me - I want to be her partner. I hope someday that God blesses me so much that I can do something like that. I am betting it will happen too!!!!

Loss for words

I have been sitting here for about 5 minutes trying to think of something interesting to tell you all. I've come up with nothing. Yes, I am speechless. Maybe I'll have something clever for tomorrow.

I do have a question for my peers??? When we were in junior high weren't we the bullpups? We went to watch Landon play football last night and the cheerleaders were saying "bulldogs". I suppose they could have changed a few things in the last 15 years, ugh!!!!

Happy Birthday Jami (yesterday)!!!!! Forgot to tell you when I talked to you, sorry.

Unpredictable

I have learned to live with an unpredictable life. I think almost all women like a schedule and a plan. I rarely have one because it wouldn't do me any good. Day to day we just go with the flow of Chris' schedule. Sometimes irritating but really kind of fun. Most of it is not his fault, it is just the nature of his job. Someone might call him on Monday and say he needs to be at ...xyz... on Wednesday. It is just like that. He just bends with it and does a great job. So anyway, we were supposed leave for Arkansas early on Wednesday. He calls me about 6:00 on Tuesday and says "I'll be home around 9:00, is there any way we could leave tonight"? I had everything pretty much packed (for a 2 week stay) and said "sure". We left at 10:00 P.M. and drove until 3:00. It works out great for the kids. They fell asleep around 10:05. We got to Arkansas around 11:00 A.M. Chris is hunting today and tomorrow and then off to his sales meeting. I'll just be hanging out here and there. I went for a run, fed the kids lunch, got a pedicure and that is about the extent of my day.

I'd like to congratulate Amanda on her 10 point buck. It is her first. Just kidding, it is not really funny. She hit it with her car, or I think it hit her. Anyway $4,000 worth of damage. Bummer!!! Amanda, I wonder if you can enter it into the big buck contest at the Tackle Box. Ha Ha!!!!!

Road Trip... Again

Today will be spent packing 1/2 our house up. We will head to Arkansas early in the morning. We will be there for 2 weeks. Chris is going to hunt for a couple of days with a guy he sells for, and then he has to go to Dallas for his 8 day sales meeting. He is dreading it. It is too long for a guy who is not used to being cooped up. Anyway, I have been going through rubbermaid tubs getting winter clothes out for the boys. They are sick of trying on jeans but were somewhat cooperative yesterday. I think I have a good assortment of long pants and shorts set out.

Jax is doing so good with his schooling. He begs to do school. He has learned several letters and the sounds they make. I have a question for you teachers (Amanda)???? Should he be learning to write cursive??? The abeka kit that I have is teaching them to print and write cursive. I don't get it. Isn't printing enough right now?? I have been skipping it but I am confused on that.

I just fixed the comment thing. You don't have to be a member to leave a comment, just click comment and leave me a message. (Had a little negative feedback about that)

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

This post is dedicated to my mom and dad..........Lets begin with a story from when I was little. I was about 4 or 5 I think and my parents were outside with us and they were talking to the neighbors. I rode up on my little bike and said Son of a B.... it's hot!!!! I think they had to catch their breath and then they got on to me for saying that. Sure enough a little while later I rolled up and said it again. My parents were so, so embarrassed. Here is where "What goes around comes around" starts. We are outside last night chatting with the neighbors. The kids are all playing. Let me first say that we get UPS packages all the time. All of Chris' work samples come via UPS. The boys think that the UPS guy is better than Santa Claus. Chris yelled at all the kids "here comes a car." All the kids scramble to the sides of the street. Jax to our driveway with his bike. Around the corner came the UPS truck, so Jax screams "It is the UPS guy." Then around the corner came another UPS truck behind the other one. Jax screams again and says "HOLY CRAP TWP UPS TRUCKS." Everybody was trying not laugh and Chris and I were speechless. Our neighbor Gary said "Holy crap Jax, you just made my day." We were so embarrassed but everyone else thought it was funny. I think we need to work on that before he goes to kindergarten next year.

Out of the Fog

To be honest, I have been grumpy for the last 4 days. I can't help it, it was PMS induced. I am not usually in a bad mood but everyone is entitled once in a while. It is such a rare thing that Chris was trying to do everything he could to cheer me up. He couldn't stand it that I wasn't acting normal. He just kept following me around saying "how can I cheer you up?" Anyway I am good now. Actually I started feeling better yesterday after I used the spa gift certificate Chris got me for our anniversary. I had the best facial and massage I have ever had!!!!! Girlies save your money and come see us and we will go to the spa. I wanted to stay all day!!!!!!!!!!!

I forgot to update you all on Chris' deer. I was proofreading his article for the Evolved Newsletter and remembered that I hadn't told you all he killed a big 8. He didn't get the big 11 point he was after, but he is going to try again next week. I guess in the fall the hunt will air on one of the outdoor channels.

I sure hope Jax gets to hunt during gun season. He really, really, really wants to kill a buck. Chris said he was going to take him somewhere where they are going to kill a bunch of does. He laughed and said he was not going to kill a doe only a BIG BUCK!!! Chris didn't say a word, he just smiled.

Monday 10:30!!!!!!

Where did this day go? I spent the whole day working around the house and 2 hours at wal-mart. Chris and I have been cleaning on and off all day. We are all unpacked and the last load of laundry is in the washer right now. Chris has a sales manager coming in to stay the night tomorrow and then they have a meeting on Wednesday.

We had a good time in Arkansas and the trip home was great. We decided, on a whim, to leave at 4:00 P.M. We were just going to drive to Dallas, but when we got there we just kept going. The boys fell asleep around 9:00 and I leaned back their boosters and they slept the whole way home. So from 9 to 12:30 I didn't have to hear Brooks ask every 15 minutes "how much further now"!!!

We are turning around and going back on the 17th for 2 weeks. Chris is going back to muzzle load hunt and then has his annual 8 day sales meeting. I will have a lot more fun in Arkansas than spending 2 weeks alone.

A little funny to close - A little while ago Jax came in and said "Momma do you have a little snack for me tonight?" I got him some grapes and told him to try to get Brooks to try one. He assured me it wasn't going to happen but I told him to just try. Jax couldn't get him to try so Chris started in and said he wanted to try one. Then Chris told Brooks that deer hunters eat grapes. Here comes the funny............. Brooks said "when I am big enough to go deer hunting I will eat grapes." The kid is a hoot!!!!

Arkansas

We are still in Arkansas just hanging out. Chris saw the huge buck last night and had a shot at it twice but there was a limb in the way of the camera both times and Teeter couldn't get it on video. He is not about to kill this one unless they get it on video. I sure hope he does. Maybe I will have a picture to post tomorrow.

Amanda is going to come down this evening and stay the night. We are going to highlight her hair and then go running. Billy is on a really wierd schedule this week so we may not even get to see him. If you are reading this Billy we all say "Hello"!!!!

Papa Don got to come home today. We are all so glad. He should be back to normal soon.

I must go but I wanted to write a little to catch you up.