Its Snowing!

It's been snowing here for over four hours now. As soon as the kids got up today, they donned coats and gloves and went outside.

This is the snowman Keith built. His hat is made of legos. I have to give it to him for the creativity. The photo is blurry because the snow was confusing the camera on my phone. He built the frozen creature several hours ago. Most of him comes from snow left from Christmas day. There wasn't much snow left when he was out there, but he still managed to build it just the same.

Santa's visit with mom

There are times when I get extremely pre-occupied with other stuff, I forget to blog. This story is just too cute to not tell.

Christmas is my favorite holiday. Not because I get gifts. I'm all over giving gifts. The Salvation army gets more spare change out of me than I spend in an entire year. Giving Tree programs always get stuff from us when we have the cash to spend it. Christmas is my favorite holiday because He gave us his Son to bring Peace to Earth. Gift giving to each other is supposed to remind us of the importance of the gift He gave us. The commercialism of Christmas has always bugged me. I've never been the type of person who has ever asked for anything for Christmas. This should never be a time to beg for stuff from other people that you're not willing to buy yourself. This belief has officially made me the hardest person in my family to shop for.

So, Friday before Christmas, our friend Sonja took our kids out shopping for me. Bigfoot decided he needed to find out what I wanted for Christmas. He came up with the idea that he should pretend to be Santa so that he could find out what it is I wanted. His dad told him it wouldn't work, but Keith was persistent in his mission. It went something like this:

Bigfoot walks into the house from pouring candles outside. Meets mom and says, "Hi, mom."

"Hi, kiddo."

"You need to sit on my lap, so I can play Santa, and find out what you want for Christmas."

"And why do you need to find out what I want for Christmas?"

"Because I'm going out with Miss Sonja, and I need to know what you want fro Christmas."

"OK, go sit on the sofa. Do I have to sit on your lap?"

"Yes, you do. I'll just be a skinny Santa." He proceeds to sit on the sofa, and I sit on his lap. "Okay, now what would you like for Christmas?"

"Well, you know what I like, and where I like to shop. So, if you know those things, you'll be able to figure out what I would like for Christmas."

"That's not telling me what you want for Christmas. Now, what do you want? I know you like knitting, and fabric, and yarn, and Monopoly, so what do you want?"

"Well, there isn't really anything I absolutely want for Christmas. I don't like to beg other people for stuff for Christmas. Even when I was a kid, I never asked for anything like everybody else. Some kids had to have all kids of junk like Transformers, and GI Joe, or Barbie, and My Little Pony. Now, kids ask for iPods and cell phones and Wii's. And, they get all spoiled and fussy if they don't get the stuff they want.

I never did stuff like that. I only told Santa I wanted stuff like Barbie just to make the guy in the suit happy. He could have given the Barbie to Toys for Tots for all I care. I never really wanted stuff for Christmas. There was one year I only wanted a bike. Other kids looked at me strange because that was all I asked for. Christmas morning, there was a bike for me. It wasn't a new bike. It had come from an auction house; but it had two wheels, a seat, a chain, and handle bars. It worked; it fit; and I could ride it. That was more important than anything else. I didn't care if it was blue, had no stickers for Strawberry Shortcake or Barbie. Everybody else thought it was dumb. Oh well. Santa knew what I like and that's what counted the most."

"Mom, could you get up. Santa got really skinny for right now, but his legs are starting to hurt."

His dad came in the house and asked Bigfoot if his idea worked. "No, it didn't." I thought the effort he made to find out what I wanted was creative and thoughtful. I'll give him credit for that. Christmas morning, I opened two packages with Christmas ornaments from Macy's. One is a Santa, and one is a candy cane with my name on it. He definitely knows what I like.

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

For the first time in seventeen years, Western Washington saw snow on Christmas Day. The faint white stuff on the ground is the snow as it was falling. This is a real rarity for those of us living in Puget Sound. We live in the convergence zone of the Cascade Mountains. This is why Seattle gets so much rain. But snow? WOW! Let's go play! Gift opening takes much longer when ten people are paying more attention to the white stuff coming down. Snow is such an uncommon occurrence here that when it does snow, that's pretty much the only thing you notice.

As soon as the gifts were finished, children were outside. Snowflakes were caught on tongues. General running around in the snow was done. Snowballs were made and thrown. You'd be surprised how many snowballs you can make out of a snow dusting.

By the time the snow stopped, and the rain started up, we had about one inch on the ground. Most of it is gone now, due to the wonderful presence of last night's rain. Maybe we'll have more, maybe we won't.

The complentating of a to-do list by a mom on Christmas Eve

As I'm sitting in front of my computer, wondering if I should blog or not, it has occurred to me I put the comma in the wrong place on my blog title. I wrote: What me, BUSY? NEVER! It should have been: What, me BUSY? NEVER! I'll get around to changing that soon. It's not too high of a priority.

I have enough to do today that takes precedence over changing the title of my blog. Today is Christmas Eve. I have cookies to bake, gifts to wrap, cobblers to make, dishes to run, laundry to wash (so the kids can put it away), a husband to keep track of, kids to assign jobs to, a toddler to babysit, relatives to visit, church to attend (bring on the coffee), a church altar to clear, Santa to play, and I think there may be sleep in there somewhere.

I almost considered not even posting today. Prioritization of everything is a must. I wouldn't survive doing everything I do if I weren't setting priorities each day. I can't live without a daily to-do list.

Merry Christmas to all.! If you don't celebrate Christmas, Have a Happy Holiday! If you don't celebrate anything, Have fun (and go sort your laundry).

For Bloggers, and those exploring Blogging

One of the things I like about having my blog page here is the freedom to connect with other blogging communities. Blogoria is an opportunity to connect with other bloggers in my area of writing, meet potential advertisers, and promote my personal site.

You know your kids are wierd when...

You are sitting at the Kitsap County Shrine Club dinner listening to a Christmas Caroler Band and all you can think of is the twisted version of Jingle Bells.

All I could hear in my head was: "Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg. The Batmobile broke a wheel, and the Joker got away."

I can't think of the real words for the life of me. This is so wrong. They say insanity is hereditary; you get it from your kids.

I'm trying to think positive, I really am.

Just because most of Western Washington was flooded two weeks ago, doesn't mean my life to has to become a flood as well. The last few weeks have been a very difficult time for our family. We have finally received the closing checks from the mortgage loan we applied for over two months ago. We found a mortgage company through Lending Tree that was willing to service our delicate housing situation. That loan was supposed to close prior to Halloween. As underwriters like to take their time, and drag their feet, we were finally signing papers December 11th. The final checks were cut yesterday at the title office. I had to drive the necessary twenty minutes into Silverdale to pick them up. This was not a drive I was looking forward to since this is the Christmas season.

Silverdale, for those of you outside of Kitsap County, is three square miles of unincorporated SHOPPING MALL. The bulk of Silverdale is commercial development resulting from a certain City of Bremerton that twenty years ago decided to write some very lousy tax codes for businesses. Anything commercial at that time decided to move out of city limits. Henceforth, we have the sprawling developments of East Bremerton and Silverdale. Sprawling development of Kitsap County has caused continued spreading of suburbia as well as an overgrown, under maintained, wacko highway system. Did I mention the public transportation system isn't exactly convenient here? You can't get from Port Orchard to Silverdale by bus in less than three hours. You can't even get from Bremerton to Silverdale in less than two hours. Driving is much easier and faster. from our house in Gorst to Silverdale, we normally only have to account for twenty minutes. In December, however, we have to give the drive almost an hour.

Picking up these checks should have been exciting. This should have been a moment to sing praises over. Instead, I'm ready to wish everything real estate involved out of my life. This last straw came with the title company changing the previous mortgage payoff by $2000. I called my loan officer at Castle Point to ask about this, and she couldn't believe what she heard. Not once did the title office call her office to verify numbers. Title called the financier of my old loan and changed the changed the numbers without telling my mortgage company. This is highly illegal. Castle Point now has to send me new HUD documents because I told them about the change made by the title office.

Prior to this, I was ripped by the appraiser who did the evaluation on our house. Not one of the properties used in his comparison ratings even comes close to the specs of my property. I didn't even know what was in the appraisal until my loan officer sent me a copy of his work the day we closed. Our appraisal was nowhere in the closing papers. I would have never seen what he said or did if she'd not sent me the appraisal. I can't stand King County appraisers. I've never known one to get anything right in Kitsap County.

In addition to lowering the value of my property, he decided in his paperwork, to make mistakes about the market statistics. First, he said the house was not recently on the market. Later, he said the house had been on the market, but had been taken off. This is a big problem for mortgage companies. You aren't supposed to qualify for a loan when a house is on the market. Recent removal from the market changes the qualification ability for a loan.

Since the processing department at Castle Point caught this error, our loan had to be approved by the investor. This became a fun situation. They decided to ask for copies of payments for the last twelve months. Castle Point had a problem with this. We are Fannie Mae approved. Asking for anything more the day before closing was unacceptable to them. I've never heard of one underwriter chewing the butt of another.

Between everything we have been through with this, I'm ready to remove lenders, appraisers, title officers, and real estate anything from my life. Trying to find the goodness in this is not happening right now. I know there is a difference between God's time and our time here on Earth. Why this is happening in our time, I don't understand. This whole situation makes me angry. I'm really trying to stay positive. I'm runnin gout of time here at the library. I have other stuff going on tonight, so going home to post a blog was not happening.

Oh, his aching back let me play SuperMom

We spent a less than eventful weekend at home. Plans changed at the last minute due to the aching back dear hubby has. Sunday morning, should have been much different. I should have been up at the crack of dawn making breakfast and getting three kids ready to travel to Mountlake Terrace. We should have boarded the 10:50 ferry from Kingston to Edmonds for the annual Nile Kids Christmas Party. Hubby was supposed to work this party in face along with several other Nile Clowns.

All of this means I was supposed to take pictures of the event and post them today.

None of this happened.

Instead, I woke up at the crack of dawn, made breakfast, piled three kids in the car, and went to church. Leaving hubby home alone was not something I really wanted to do. Under the circumstances I ended up in, I'm glad I left him at home. I got to be SuperMom!

I took my two kids, and the three-year-old child we babysit to church. I actually found space in the sanctuary for the beginning of service. Took them downstairs for Sunday School after children's time, and took over my husband's job at Fearless Fourth Grade Leader. Blessed as we are, this is Advent. Sunday School lessons aren't normal during this time of year. As a Sunday School teacher, I didn't have to plan anything. I just had to show up and reduce the adult:child ratio.

SuperMom really came into play during the final church service of the day. On a regular basis, hubby works this service as an usher and sound geek. I sit with our two kids (and the babysat third during Advent) in the pew closest to the production crew.

As we are all good Lutheran's in our family, the closest pew to the production crew also happens to be the pew closest to the coffee pot. We never sit in the front or anywhere near the front. Even at Christmas Eve services, we sit in the back. Typically the next to last pew will be filled with Herstads.

Yesterday, however, I got to do all the good things he normally does. I ushered the service, while holding the three year old. I ran the sound board with the three year old on my lap. I serviced communion cups holding the hand of the three year old. My kids, however, got to play the role of good Lutheran. They acolyted the service, sat in the back, closest to the coffee pot (and mom), SAT QUIETLY as good children should, and worked the communion as cup receivers.

After service, they even helped clean up. I love watching Bigfoot as he takes Squirt around having her help him. One of the jobs the kids have taken on at the end of services is turning off the big screen at the front of the sanctuary. I think it's awesome he allows her to flip the light switch that controls it.

BeadGirl is something else as well. She is now the youngest member of the First Lutheran Alter Guild. I've only been working with Alter guild for a few months, but she has helped set up and clear enough services, she knows where everything goes. She's such a kick at the end of a service. The first thing she does is walk up front, and begin clearing the altar. She knows how to load the Communion trays, clean the flower urns, and stuff the pew pockets. I haven't let her fill candles yet. I won't let her take on that role yet. The last time I filled the candles, I had the wicks all over the counter in pieces. I had oil all over my hands, as well as the counters and sinks. I'm pretty sure the ladies who set up the week after that incident were scratching their heads.

I'm SHOCKED and singing PRAISES

My kids actually did chores today! I saw them with my own eyes CLEANING the dining room!!! I can't believe I saw my kids willingly do chores today. yes, I am without a doubt ecstatic about this. As a treat, they got off other responsibilities today. They can take on those tomorrow. Now if I can just get them to make out a daily to-do list, we'd be set. I even got them these cool weekly to-do list charts at the dollar store. One full year for $1. I like the sound of that.

I'm singing praises over chores being done by my kids. I didn't feel compelled to break up any fights. Double the praises for that one. Hopefully dh wasn't being a grouch with them. He was in a horrible mood this morning on the way to the ferry. Why? I can't completely figure out. He was like this yesterday as well. All I can do is pray for him.

Par of his problem may have been the back pain he's been going through recently. He called me from work today to tell me he thinks his back gave out on the job. We do not need him to end up filing an L&I claim, take time off, loose pay, have to argue fuss and fight L&I compensation, yada yada yada. We just signed papers for our mortgage refinance last night. We need his income to make the payments. I don't make enough with ASI to handle everything myself. He's already asked me to give him a good massage tonight. He'll definitely get it, along with a few good prayers, hymns (Communion hymns are my favorite), oil and hands. I'm good at that for some reason.

Prayer is probably the one thing I'm best at, even better than writing. My intention in blogging is to give uplifting and positive life to those who feel down about active lifestyles. We are very active. I won't get started on that topic tonight. I will tell you, there are times I feel overwhelmed. There are times I would love to tell everything to take a flying leap off the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The times I feel worst, are the times I feel like I have to fight, beg and annoy everybody. It's not a pretty picture. Prayer is really the only thing that gets me through all the crap. The Footprints poem is for real. There have been many times He has carried me through.

I could go on about this more, but you get the picture tonight. I'll go on about this more; just later.

I can write at night, Right?

Okay, so here I am, typing at 9:30 at night. Why? because I want to. Kids are in bed, dh is taking care of business. My work is done for the day. I think.

Laundry has been washed; put away is another story. Uniform shirts have been washed and pressed for the remainder of the week.

The dishwasher has been run. Yes, dishes were in it when it was started. Children have been fed, for the umpteen millionth time.

Words have been spelled for everyone else in the family. I am still struggling with the fact that I am the only person here who knows how to spell anything.

Loan papers for our house have been signed. This one seems like the accomplishment of a lifetime. Actually getting laundry completely put away would be the next major accomplishment around here.

Laundry never gets put away. Everything gets heaped in a pile of clean clothes in my room. Clean laundry has to go in my room because there is no other room in al of our glorious, luxurious 850 square feet. There was the one day in August I almost got everything put away that didn’t need to be pressed or matched (such as socks). Then the window guy to come to our house.

This was crazy to the point I wanted to scream. Dear hubby had two weeks of vacation at the end of August. Instead of going anywhere, we stayed at home and took care of business we might not normally get to. He decided it would be a great idea to have window guys come over. Notice I used the plural form of the word. Yes, GUYS. He decided to schedule TWO appointments for window people to show off their stuff on the same day. That’s all fine and dandy if they leave before the cable guy comes install the broadband internet line. AND IF THEY LEAVE BEFORE AN AGENT BRINGS PEOPLE OVER!!!

At this point in the year, our house was still on the market. We were almost to the one year anniversary of our listing and we had already set a new record in Kitsap County for the highest number of personal showings and internet viewings. This is not a record I’m entirely proud of. We had a showing appointment for that evening after 5. Everything should work out according to me. The cable guy was coming over sometime between noon and four. I new about the window guy coming in the morning. I didn’t know the second guy would be at our house practically for dinner. He NEVER left! I think he might still be here trying to tell me pointless stories about his former life as an ADHD child in Florida. He was still there when people came to see the house. He even left after they left! We ended up going out to dinner that night. I think that’s how we got him to actually leave and go home for the day. That’s also how laundry never got finished.

Let’s see how far I get this time.

Where have I been? Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Wow! I didn't realize I had gone over two weeks since my last blog. now I'm wondering, "where have I been?" My last blog was before Thanksgiving. I meant to post a Thanksgiving blog; I really did. Somehow, it just never made it here.

Actually, I know all too well how it never made it here. I got ambitious this Thanksgiving. I decided to bake. I did my very first pie crust. Actually, the recipe was for three crusts. I managed to come out all my mixing with enough pie crust for two apple pies, one pumpkin, and one huge pumpkin pie. I had enough pumpkin pie mix for one regular pie, and this huge pie I had to put in a casserole dish along with the leftover pie crust. Along with all theses pies, I baked rolls. I can't just go buy rolls for Thanksgiving. NO, I have to bake all morning long.

It's not like I wasn't awake all night. Bigboy brought home the company "bonus" aka, turkey, Tuesday, and we forgot to put it in the fridge. I found it Wednesday night when we came home from the ferry, nicely thawed. That resulted in a purchasing of a roasting pan, coming home and baking this darned bird until almost 3 in the morning. Beginning sometime around ten, Bigboy insisted that one of us needed to stay up while the bird baked. Out of the kindness of his heart, he told me to go to sleep. For some reason, that kindness also needed me to wake up every half hour (to check the bird) until one. That's when he decided we needed to switch places. at that point, I was grateful to have him go to sleep. If he was going to wake me up repeatedly, just let me stay up in the first place. Its not like we were responsible for the entire dinner. We were going to Olympia for dinner with his family. I was only supposed to bring desserts and rolls. I also didn't want to loose the bird to spoilage.

Traffic on I5 was good until just north of Olympia. Eventually, we were creeping to about 35 mph. We discovered the slow down ended as we passed by the new Cabela's showroom. I can't believe the number of people slowing down to gawk at the roof of the new store. Yikes!

Thanksgiving was good for our family. I hope it was for everyone as well. As soon as I have pictures from our Veteran's Dinner, I will be posting them. I have to have pictures come in from people there, since I was working the entire night.

Can I leave the computer now?

I know no one ever said carrying a job while homeschooling two kids, decorating a Blue lodge, running around with the Shriners, teaching Sunday school, and supporting an at-risk group of hyperactive Cub Scouts was easy. Oh by the way, I sew, knit, embroidery, and coming soon: quilting and crochet as well as everything I mentioned before. Somewhere in all that, I do manage to find time to wash laundry, cook, and clean up after everyone.

Earlier this month, I took a job working from home as a Human Resource Representative. My job is to interview, hire, and arrange training sessions for applicants. I really do like this job. I wasn't exactly ready for the work load I've had in the last few days. My "working" days try to run from 6 to 9 am here in my time zone. Most of the applicants I interview are in other parts of the country where daylight is occurring. After nine, I try to limit everything to pre-set appointments. Lately, I've been working non-stop until noon or later.

Now that I'm back down to five hours of sleep or less, I am beginning to remember how exhausting working in the early morning hours can be. Before I became a homeschooling parent, I had a job in food service. My day started at 3 am on a regular basis, and eventually dropped to 1 am before my company lost the contract I worked under. The only part of that gig I miss is the customer base I serviced every day. I don't miss corporate flack, extremely early hours, or falling asleep while driving.

I enjoy being able to converse with a wide variety of people in my new job. Enjoy the fact that I can leave the desk to grab coffee, food, obnoxious kids, whatever. I can let the dog out between phone calls, let him back in between calls, make lunch, do laundry, clean the bathroom, whatever.

As far a homeschooling while I work, I'd die without www.k12.com and the virtual lesson planning, guidance, and personalized pace program. I have never liked having to write out lesson plans or schedules. Mostly because I always ended up off track and never quite sure of where to get back on. Blame it on my ADHD. My kids respond very well to the k12 program. This is a major step up for us from the struggles we've been through in the past. I've never been one to want to fight over schoolwork. eventually, I'll be able to get them to do an entire day in one day.

The nerve of Adsense sometimes.

As I posted my previous blog, I am finding I like the idea of dropping Adsense. They have decided my blog deserves links including "cheating wife" and "phone stalker." I really do not need people thinking I endorse this kind of stuff. Adsense can put up all the pro-homeschooling, Christian, Lutheran, Freemasonry, Shriner's Hospitals for Children, time management, personal organization, Boy Scout's of America, home improvement, feng shui links they want. I didn't finish the list because I could add more but I know you get the picture. I will not have links such as "phone stalker" and "cheating wife" on my Adsense links. Thank you.

If you happen to be more technologically enabled than me and know how to handle this, please let me know.

Is this my imagination?

Shhh, it's quiet today. My kids are actually doing schoolwork today. If I take a picture, I may just curse the schoolwork. Therefore, I won't take or post any pictures. The quiet doing of schoolwork is a Kodak moment in itself.

Normally, we are in a much more boisterous school environment that looks much more like:

Two children are sitting on a unabashedly orange sectional sofa produced in the age of hippies and flower children. No, not sitting, laying because no one child can handle sitting. Sitting would mean minding your manners and we can't have that. Mom might just like the idea of us minding our manners. Voices are color coded; as if you can't tell who is who.

"Keep your feet off me."

The feet of Bigfoot stay on sister.

"Bigfoot, keep your feet off your sister."

"I SAID, Keep Your Feet Off Me."

"BIGFOOT, Keep your feet OFF your sister!"

The feet of Bigfoot come up off of sister and slap down on sister.

"OWWW! I SAID, KEEP YOUR FEET OFF ME!"

"I didn't have my feet on my sister. I'm trying to do my schoolwork, and BEADGIRL won't let me."

"So, keep your feet off your sister and do your schoolwork."

"I am keeping my feet off her. I am doing my schoolwork and I'M THINKING!"

"Then there shouldn't be an issue. Thank you."

"Mom, I need help with..." the phone rings.

It's the husband needing something for someone. Yes I can send an email off to whoever. What do you want to say. Type email. "This is what is says read email to him. Okay, anything else?" Sign email as "Terri speaking and typing for dh."All email is signed this way. Everything from masonic related email, to writing to his parents. "Yes, I can call this person. What do you need?" take notes because I can't remember everything he wants all at once. "Yes, I can take the car into have it looked at. Okay. What boat will you be on?" As I think, I'd get the car in if you'd give me the time to catch up to everything else I have to do. You'd think homeschooling means being at the complete disposal of everyone all the time.

In the mean time, the TV has now been turned on. There is more sniveling and nagging. Now for the:

"Mom, I'm hungry." You'd think I starve Bigfoot. At basically twelve years old now and entering a size THIRTEEN shoe, I must starve him. All he has done for three years now is grow.

"Can I do this first for your dad? Let me send this email off, then I can feed you."

During the email typing, "Mom, I'm hungry."

"Yes, I know. Do your school work and I can feed you. I can't feed you if you continuously tell me you're hungry."

"OKAY. I'm doing my schoolwork."

Wow, Blessed are we who have a quiet day of schoolwork. I do like this. I never knew I could get as much done as I have today if they can quietly do their own schoolwork.

Hot Wheels or clothing?

I would like to know when hot wheels became clothing? Is that when these pocket cars of breeding proportions became eligible to stuff in a dresser? No joke, this is my almost twelve-year-old son's bottom dresser drawer. The entire drawer filled with pocket cars. I found this drawer of is dresser this way as part of the following agreement I made with both of my kids:

I will do ALL of their laundry and clean their rooms in exchange for the following: NO fighting amongst themselves, controlled behavior, and fully completed schoolwork.

So, as I'm getting ready to bring his much needed pants into his room for putting away, I found not only hot wheels in the dresser, I found snacks (wrapped fortunately) in the top drawer. I found Yu-gi-oh cards, all three of his belts. I'm talking about the belts that are missing in action every time he has pants so baggy they are making the "gangstas" look well dressed. Sorry, my child, belts are a requirement when you are 5'2 and have a 26.5 inch waist. Please remember, he is ALMOST twelve.

I'm not busy! I'm NOT, I'm NOT, I'm NOT!!!

First thing's first. I have to get this off my chest.

Sabrina, I'll miss you! I'm so shocked you got voted off the show. For those of you who don't follow Dancing With the Stars, or haven't found out yet, you can read on it here.

Sabrina is extremely talented. She has a fabulous track record of working to inspire kids in physical fitness. There was still much grace for her to learn on the dance floor.

As for Dancing With the Stars, I always end up wishing the first two to go could stay for just one more week before they have to leave. There is so much to learn in ballroom dancing, that I just don't feel some of these people learn everything that can keep them on the show in the less time they end up having. This season has seen some great attitudes about leaving the show. I was quite put off by Lelia Ali last season when she came in third place.


And now, Ladies and Gentlemen: Back to Life.

The washer died Monday night. Not knowing any better, I washed one of my husband's work shirts, forgot to put it in the dryer Sunday night, and so by the time I woke up Tuesday morning, I had this WET shirt to press. Normally, if I forget the dryer stage, I can pull it from the washer and press his shirts dry, or at least relatively dry. This was no where close to dry. I couldn't press it anywhere near dry for the life of me. As blessings would go, he was able to procure a dry, new shirt for yesterday. Today, the wet thing was dry enough for him to wear under a coat. According to him, it was dry by midday.

We skipped taking the kids to karate last night and opted for buying a newer washer and dyer at our local appliance store. They wonderful gentlemen delivered them today. I'm now washing hubby's work clothes. Next in line is all the hand washing I've neglected to do on a regular basis since my HE machine died. This new machine has a handwash cycle on it. It'll definitely be used well.

I'm not busy! How can I be busy?

In organizational leadership, there is a trick to getting anything done. Just ask the busiest person. For some reason, I can't figure out why I was asked to step up as the new committee chair of my son's Boy Scout Troop. I am seriously considering taking this position. His troop is one that needs help in the mentorship department. I'm a good candidate for this gig since I've grown up in the Scouting community. This will only add to my schedule, a gazillion phone calls, meetings, phone calls, and meeting. Did I mention the phone calls and meeting?

It's not the amount of time this will take that I'm worried about.as long as I have time to blog and play computer games, I have time for anything that needs me.

Technological update: I'm still trying to figure out how to RSS feed this blog with my Yahoo 360. For some reason, when I tried to RSS this over there, it system couldn't find it. I'd like to know how to RSS feed both of them to each other.

Oh, and Happy Halloween! We'll be at the Given's Community Center in Port Orchard, WA. Lon is working with the Kitsap County Shrine Club. You may even find me there too. I do plan on taking pictures.

Have fun!

Hello, Can you hear me now? Verizon meets Dr. Seuss

Remember, I'm technologically challenged. Yesterday, I was trying to call my husband on my cell phone and for some reason there was no sound on the ear piece. I kept saying "hello," to a call that had definitely gone through. Where was my husband?

He was on the other end of the call, telling my he could hear me. It went something like this:
Dial number.

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello, I called you up to say hello. Can you hear me Joe. I'm sorry, I cannot hear your call. I cannot hear your call at all, and I know why. I mouse has but the wire. Goodbye."

"Hello." Hang up. Redial.

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello." Hang up, redial.

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello."

"Hello." Hang up. Receive text message: "come and find me since all you want to say is hello."
Pick up husband from the ferry. explain that for some reason I have no sound on my phone. turn phone off, turn back on. Call him again, turn phone off, remove battery. Replace battery, make new call and have perfect sound. By now, I'm freaking out because my phone is brand new, and I don't want to replace it already. I haven't even had it a full month. my previous phone worked so well I was a poster child for both Dr. Seuss and the Verizon ads. I was, and am not in the mood to return this phone for being defective.

How can I hear him on the other end when my bluetooth is in my pocket and on? Somehow, my bluetooth turned itself on while I was driving and took over the sound on my phone. Of course I heard nothing. I wasn't listening.

Hello, am I here?

Testing, testing, Am I here?

Ok good, I am here. Feel free to read my profile. Everything I'd ever say about myself in an introduction, I've already said there.

Now that I'm here, I will be brining over my content from my other, older blog. This will be happening as soon as I figure out how to do it. I'm technologically challenged when anything nerdy comes about my life. I am NOT a chip-head!

Well, I'm glad to know I'm here. Pleased to meet you too.