A Little Bit of This and Some of That

• We went back to Ohio this past weekend for a quick 3 day visit. I'll have a whole separate post on that but here are a few teasers.

• One thing that is just not the same in the South as in the Midwest is the sweet corn. The season down here is much shorter and honestly the corn isn't as good. So while back in Ohio we bought almost 4 dozen of corn and spent last night cooking and freezing it.

• We hosted a BBQ for Matt's team at work last Thursday. His boss's boss was in town from Japan so we offered to have the "gathering" here. It went very well, especially considering we had 25 people and kids here and Matt didn't let me have anything to do with the cooking or planning. As a thank you gift for hosting I was given a beautiful piece of handmade pottery brought from Kobe, Japan (this pic just doesn't do it justice). The wrapping paper was so cool that I had to keep that as well. I hinted to Matt that maybe he can get me a matching piece when he goes next month, but all I got was a look.

• Last night, 32-year old, SAHM of 5 boys, Melissa Lawson won Nashville Star. I have to say it brought a smile to my face, even though I was rooting for Gabe Garcia. Regardless, I think both will do awesome. (Yes I am a reality TV junkie)

• Speaking of reality TV, only 12 days...

• For the first time ever we let Chris stay back in Ohio to spend some extra alone time with the grandparents. I know Chris was very excited to work on FILs farm and go to the movies and hang with my parents, without his sisters are parents hanging around. He will be riding back this way with Shannon on Sunday and I'll meet them somewhere to pick him up. I know he is having a blast, but the house seems so quiet without my boy around.

• Sami mastered swimming alone yesterday at the pool. Matt took some vacation time and we spent the afternoon at the pool. Sami can't wait to show our neighbor Miss Keri her latest milestone when we go today. (Hey need to do something to keep us cool in this heat)
• Life get going to get crazier before it gets calmer, with the start of school coming up, football starting, gymnastics practices, my work and Matt traveling. Good thing we also got 4 bottles of wine at the party last week.
• Only 3 more days until the start of the Olympics. I cannot wait!
• I have finally decided against Lasik surgery and am looking at a new service my eye doctor offers called GVSS. It was founded at Ohio State so it has to be good, right?
  
• Still working on that patience thing. It's not going so good.
  

Monday Musings

1. Camping this past weekend was a blast. In fact, we had so much fun we have decided to go again either in August or September. I'll post pics soon.
   
2. Jamie and the rest of the Fredericks are on their way here –– as I type! Woot! However, with a flat tire at 3 am I am not expecting them until sometime tonight. Personally I think they are just trying to avoid the 100 degree temperature here today.
   
3. I think I will use my free Starbuck's beverage coupon today. Can I just say how excited I am that one just opened 7 minutes from my house?
4. Why is it that when oil goes up $15 a barrel our gas prices soared 50¢ to 75¢? Yet when oil drops $15, gas prices go down 4¢ to 6¢?
5. The Dark Knight did amazing at theatre's this past weekend. Estimates are saying $155.3 million in tickets. Is anyone else slightly sad when watching clips of this movie? From what I hear Ledger's final performance was anything short of amazing.
   
6. 27 days... only 27 days until the American Idol tour!
   
7. Has anyone seen the story on the 2 year old little girl in Florida that has been missing for 6 weeks, yet the mother just reported it? Supposedly a babysitter took off with the child at the beginning of June and hasn't been seen since. The mother finally just told the grandparents and they reported it. What the heck?!? If my child was missing for 6 seconds I would be batting down the police door. We live in a messed up world.
   
8. An update to my itouch just came out. This update includes lots of downloads, including more web applications and games. Soon I will be able to chat and Facebook from anywhere.
9. I need to get the oil changed in my van today. Ugh... this is always a long process. Every time I go the line is always out the door. Regardless of where I go.
10. My dad's surgery is Thursday. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
    

Kibbles and Bits

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day! I have been blessed with one of the best dads ever and now I am married to an amazing dad as well.

Just a few Kibbles & Bits on this Sunday evening!

• We leave for the beach in 6 days. I am so excited. We have gone every year but once since 2000 to Oak Island, NC. A bunch of us from college, plus their friends and family, go down and rent a bunch of houses all in a row for a week. Luckily we live only 2.5 hours away, compared to the 18 hours when we lived in Illinois. Can we say cheap gas budget? I will then stay another week with just the kids and meet up with my neighbor Keri and her kids, and Shannon and David. I am sure I will need an Orovo detox from the beach after being there 14 days. But hey imagine all the books I will get to read.
  
• I emailed out 4 Caterpillar projects tonight. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. Now I just have to wait on their edits, and in the meantime, get working on 2 new projects of theirs. (Plus some other client work)
  
• Sami starts kindergarten camp tomorrow. Every day this week from 8:15 am to 12:15 pm. She is a bit leery of not just camp, but school in general, so hopefully this will help. And in the meantime it will give me time to try to clean, shop and pack with one less kid.
  
• Emily starts softball tournaments tomorrow night. It is single elimination. Their team has done really well this season, but considering we will be missing several girls due to vacation who knows how they will do. Of course if Emily hits another homerun like last time it will be a huge help. (Yes, you read that right. Emily had a homerun!)
  
• Chris has his last game tomorrow night as well. He has really enjoyed baseball this season and is already counting down the days until football starts.
  
• I am so behind on blog reading. I apologize and promise to get caught up soon.
  
• Matt had a great trip to Brazil, but is glad to be back. With his crazy travel schedule the first half of the year he is more than ready for a travel break. He brought back some cool gifts since this was his first time in Brazil, including a handmade vase and two bottles of Cachaça, a liquor made from sugar cane, for me. (Hey, I have been alone with these kids for almost 4 weeks. Give me some slack)
  
• We had a scare with our dog Kylee Saturday night. She will be 13 next month and we really thought we were going to have to say goodbye. However it appears that she had geriatric vestibular syndrome, something similar to vertigo in humans. A few doses of Dramamine and she is doing 100x better. Fingers crossed that's all it was.
  
• I am turning 33 29 a week from tomorrow. ((sigh))
  
• Only 63 days until the American Idol tour. I can't wait.\
• Today is my BIL & SIL (Stephanie & Adam) 12th anniversary. Happy anniversary guys!
  
• I am still blogging about our Thailand trip. I have lots to show, including a trip to James Bond Island, our stay in Patong, and our trip to Singapore. I am trying to label each picture before I blog so that takes some extra time. But I promise I will get it done soon. I am hoping that we have Internet access at the beach house so I work on it over vacation.
  
• There has been some exciting news in my family, but it may be a while before I can share. And no, I can't give any hints.
  

Enjoy the rest of your Father's Day!

A little bit of this and a little bit of that

I have so many different thoughts running around my head that I thought it would be fitting that I would do a "this and that" thread.

• I won a $50 gift certificate at paperlicious.com from the 5 minutes for Mom ultimate blogging party. I am so excited. They have some really cute personalized stationary and note cards.
• My bloggy friend CDJ awarded me with the unconditional friendship award. I am so shocked and so honored. Thank you so much! Right back at ya babe.
• Still no word on the position yet. ((sigh)) I figure I will give them until the end of the day tomorrow before I send them a "touching base" email.
• Matt is home from his trip (yeah!) and shouldn't have another business trip until May. Or so he says.
• We leave in 17 days for Thailand. I am not sure who is more nervous... myself or my mother since she will be here with all three kids and their crazy schedule.
• I have decided that I am getting myself Sam and Emily the Wii Dance Dance Revolution game for Easter. It is only fair since we have gotten ourselves Chris Mario Galaxy.
• I am not looking forward to another night of "The Beatles" on American Idol. But of course I will watch anyways since I am addicted to the show.
• I have someone working on a website for my freelancing services. I am so excited to see what it will look like in the end. Nothing fancy, but still cool. I will be global! Ha ha
• I went shopping yesterday to get some clothes for the trip and came away with this surprising purchase. No not women's lingerie. I never would have thought it would look good but it actually did. Stylish and shows just the perfect amount of leg. (sorry dad)

Random Wednesday Ramblings

1. I just don't get the south. We are already on a 2 hour delay for tomorrow for a possible rain/sleet mix at rush hour. Even NC State is on a delay! Last year they called off school for this. It would require a blizzard to call off school when I lived in Illinois or Ohio. The kids just have to go to school tomorrow. They already have Friday and Monday off. I can't handle a 5-day weekend.
   
2. Apple released an update for the ipod touch today. I am ecstatic. Now I can do email, maps and my to-do lists right from my ipod. I can't say again how much I LOVE my ipod touch.
   
3. My best pal Val reminded me today that I still haven't gotten my shots and medicine for Matt's and my big trip to Thailand in 78 days. I would blow it off but if anyone would get bitten by a malaria ridden mosquito or wind up in the hospital needing a transfusion or come in contact with someone with hepatitis, typhoid fever or yellow fever it would be me. I am terrified of needles so I am not sure how I am going to do this. Not to mention I am over 5 years past due on my tetanus shot. Can you drink heavily before being vaccinated?
   
4. Matthew McConaughey announced that he and his girlfriend (some model) are having a baby. I am contemplating wearing all black in mourning.
   
5. It is official! Emily will be competing level 7 at the Hang 10 meet in Wilmington, NC on March 8 - 9. This is a huge deal for a gymnast. It means no more "required" routines. Now she gets to make up her own routines and pick her own music, as long as she includes the required skills. This is what she has been waiting for the past three years.
   
6. Sam spent all night trying to tie her Melissa and Doug "shoe." I can't believe this will be the last time I get to teach one of my baby's how to tie a shoe. Or how to read. Or all those other "firsts". Is it wrong to not want her to learn all these things? Can time just slow down a bit? It is going by way too fast.
   
7. We are going to take the plunge and buy an SLR digital camera. I **think** I have made a decision as to what to get, but I would love any advice/thoughts from fellow SLR owners. And then I will finally start using the Shutterfly coupons I get emailed all the time.
   
8. Tax time is here. Whoo hooo! I think I am the only person that enjoys doing their taxes. Maybe that is because we never owe. At least not yet. (Hopefully I didn't speak too soon) I am hoping we get all our paperwork so I can start them in the next week or so.
   
9. I have been doing an awesome job going to the gym. One of my goals for 2008 was to have a more consistent workout regimen. I have found a body toning class I love, started a good weight program and the gym has implemented private TVs on almost all its cardio equipment, instead of the TVs hanging from the wall. Now I can do the elliptical, read a book or watch reruns of Still Standing and listen to my ipod all at the same time. And afterwards I can hit the juice bar for an awesome pomegranate blueberry smoothie. What more could you ask for?
10. Speaking of pomegranate... I am really digging it. Martinis, juice, anything. I think I may be becoming an addict.
    
11. I have only gotten one book read this year. Yikes! I am not sure how I will reach my goal of 80 at this rate.
    
12. American Idol... the past two nights have had me in stitches. This world is seriously full of weird people. But hey, so far there have been a few that I could get behind. It will be interesting once we get to Hollywood. Any other AI fans out there?