being a mom

Geocaching, not for chickens

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Hello fellow wonderers:

Back from our great explorations from over the weekend add one day of rest and another day to get in my head how to explain our road trip.

First I would like to thank Bilo Supermarket for having fuel perk points because gas was only $2.30 a gallon. That’s means a lot when your driving around wasting gas.

Second, let me thank my husband for eating leftovers for dinner Friday. He called them leftovers because I cooked dinner on Thursday but I didn’t think that was left overs because I cooked it Thursday, he didn’t eat any of it Thursday. Technically I just cooked dinner 12 hours earlier than usual. But that’s another story for another day.

Our trip went like this, at least my version that is.

For the remainder of summer, ( 10 days that is), I decided Alex and I would try geo caching. It is supposed to be one word but my correction thingy keeps separating it so I’m going to go with it. Caching is an GPS/Internet game where you are given coordinates and you go there and find the cache and log you were there and/or take a trinket and leave one for the next person. Got it?
It’s free to sign up for a basic membership if you are interested at http://www.geocaching.com.

We were given the coordinates of N34• 58.778 W 081• 03.959 which after a fair amount of time lead us to a field outside of Bryant Airport. We get out of the car and start pacing in the direction the GPS advised when Alex notices the grass is getting taller and he promptly asked me, “Did you bring bug spray?”

Of course I didn’t, I didn’t know where we were going either. We walk a few feet further when he states, “I’m not going in there Mom Mom. There might be snakes. We banter back and forth for a few minutes trying to decide who is going first in the wild unknown. I say, “Alex, your supposed to be a boy. Boys like to explore in tall grass and swamps and things like that. I know your not afraid. He replies, “And your supposed to be a grown up and not be afraid. Good point!

We stand around for a few minutes looking to see if we can see the cache from where the invisible lines are cautioning us not to cross when an airport employee in a golf cart asks us if we needed help. I explain to him what we are doing and why we are stalling when he tell us the grass cutting schedule.

Did we find our cache? No not yet, we will go back Tuesday after the grass is cut Monday.

So what do chickens do while on a road trip you might wonder? We go shopping! We hit Old Navy, GameStop, Target, Office Depot. I even got into the GoodWill Store in North Carolina where another lady took a table I wanted. But there’s always another good buy somewhere in the world.

But Alex and I are not giving up. We are going to go out again tomorrow with all the required gear. Long sleeves and long pants, hat, gloves, sunscreen, insect repellent, a stick and Grandpop to go first!

Until next time, keep wondering.

Today’s Surprise

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Road Trip!!!!!!! Destinations Unknown!

Good morning fellow wonderers:

This morning Alex and I are going on a road trip. We’ve set the GPS, packed the water and filled up the gas tank. We don’t know where the coordinates are going to take us but I’m sure we will find something interesting.

I used to love taking these trips with my kids. Back then we didn’t have GPS to guide us. I would just be lost and to not upset my babies, I would turn it into an adventure. Isn’t technology great. Road trip with a twist.

Everyone have a great Saturday morning. We’re Off!!!!!!!

Until we return, keep wondering.

Life Lessons at a Yard Sale

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Hello fellow wonderers:

I did so much over the weekend and I have to tell you about our community yard sale. The subdivision has an annual yard sale. We missed it last year because we did not know about it. I had my eyes on alert for the notice this year and I was ready.

First let me state, I am not a yard sale person. I like to go junking as my pops would say but I don’t want to pay for it. But since, if you Remember, the caution tape is up and I have to get rid of some things. My daughter and her daughter’s other Grandmom (Big G) wanted to have the yard sale and I agreed if they sold my things also. My part was to straighten up the garage and I cleaned and oiled the bamboo papasan chairs for the sale.

Two days before the sale my daughter wanted to know why I did not want to do the sale. Here are my reasons(rules):
1. It is too hot to be in the garage and even hotter outside the garage.
2. Hagglers are not always sincere.
3. There is a reason people are selling that particular item.
4. If more than one person is in charge, conflict is pending.

The yard sale was to started at 8 a.m. I watched cars zooming up and down the street starting at 6 a.m., but Big G did not arrive until 8:30a.m. My child was getting mad because she wanted to open the garage early without her partner but there were no prices on anything and I knew that would be a problem so I made her wait. My chairs sold at 8:39 a.m. and I was gone ~ to the other yard sales.

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With $40 in my hand Alex and I went Around the neighborhood. His money was burning a hole in his hand and he kept walking off to the next house. Me I was talking to everybody and looking through their stuff looking for something unusual but did not buy a thing. I guess all the good stuff was being acquired at 6 a.m. By the time I caught up with Alex for $5 he had brought a digital portable color television to put in his clubhouse that hasn’t been built yet. He came to me complaining it didn’t work to good and he tried to take it back but my neighbor said, “no refund”. Rule 3 there is a reason That item was out there. I was proud of him for trying. My children would have just threw it away without even muttering a complaint. He at least wanted his money back.

Rule 2 hagglers are not always sincere. I asked my neighbor to let him trade it back for something else she had worth $5 or less. She rolled her eyes at me and repeated no refunds. I tried to console him by doing an auto tune which yielded 3 channels. He might can get more channels if he can get cable in his fantasy clubhouse. Lesson learned-plug in the electronics at the site before you buy.

Around 12 When I got back to my house, the look on Nena’s face told the whole story. She was fed up with all of it. Rule 1 she was hot and aggravated. Rule 2 No matter what price she quoted they wanted to negotiate. There was a brand new Calvin Klein denim jacket with the price tag still on it that Nena was asking $4 a women wanted to give her .50. Rule 4 Every time she had a sale Big G wanted half the proceeds. Lesson learned, you have to negotiate the terms of your partnership before an event. I stayed out of that one because after all, everyone made a little profit and had some fun at our first yard sale.

I wondered if Nena would do it next year and she replied, “Yes. Alone”. I’m glad she did not become totally turned off by the experience. I’m sure the caution tape will go up again and she can sell my junk. Until then, I hurried up and moved my car into the garage to hold my empty space.

Time

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I don’t know where time goes but its going fast. I spent the last few weeks playing cab driver to camp.

Reading camp ~ money well spent! Alex started reading 144 words a minute now he’s reading 405 words a minute.

Art camp ~ money well spent!
Alex’s self portrait.

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He was ten last week when he drew this portrait.

Basketball camp ~ two out of three ain’t bad. What can I say, the boy is not athletic. But we went in knowing that. Even though he says he didn’t like it, overall I think he had fun. For me it’s all about exposure. Atlas, when somebody says basketball he can always recount his experience at camp.

Gymnastic camp ~ the winner!
J loves it!

I don’t know where times goes but I know money travels with it!

The Stars Were Almost Aligned.

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I don’t know how it happened or why for that reason, but today was the true testament that my scales are unbalanced.

I’ve been waiting since June 6 for a package from Bulgaria. I love to travel and collect art and since traveling is out for a while, my daughter suggested I visit the etsy stores. To my amazement, I fell in love with a canvas painting from shop owner angel Angelov, Bulgaria, Europe.

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I was afraid to order it but I stepped out on faith and purchased this unstretched canvas for hardly any money as far as paintings go. The shop owner expedited the delivery and it came professionally packaged all the way from Bulgaria in 13 days. Oh joy was I excited!

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Then, guess what, Michaels had a coupon in the Sunday paper for 60 % off + $10.00 off. Double oh joy!! I’m at the store but can’t make up my mine on a frame, so I decided to take a picture and go home and sit in my room and then finalize my decision. After all my coupon is good until 7/17/13.

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I don’t know how it happened or why but somewhere between leaving the frame counter and home, I lost the canvas!!!!! All I could say was WTF! How could shopping in a craft store with my daughter and granddaughter be so distracting that I put down my newly found treasure. Or did someone take it out of my car at Target where we stopped to change the babygirl’s diaper? I wonder, did I lock the car doors?

I must of looked devastated because when I got home my husband asked what was wrong and he never notices anything! I should have took a picture of my face for future references in case I have to fake devastation. I did almost cry though before I reminded myself that it is only a picture, Denise. It just wasn’t meant to be but the stars were almost aligned in my favor.

There’s still a chance it might turn up though, the cylinder the canvas came in has my address on it, Target is looking at their surveillance tapes and Michaels is doing a double sweep of the store. If not, I believe in Karma, justice and God. Either way I’m covered.

The better health challenge (30 day commitment)

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Okay folks as you know I started the 30 day challenge with Betty Rocker today. I did my healthy groceries shopping yesterday and drank plenty of water and rested all day Sunday. I set my circuit timer this morning and awaited instructions to get started.

At 7 a.m. I get the email and Betty is suggesting take a picture of how we look now. I say we because there are over 7000 people in this challenge. Well, I don’t take pictures regularly but because we didn’t have to post it decided I would do it.

Because I am such a good mom, I put my daughter and my husband on the challenge too. Of course my husband thinks I did it because I don’t want to cook several different meals because I’m eating one thing and their eating something different and you know what, he’s right! Everybody is on a clean eating diet. If I can do it they can too. As proof we had veggie Pitas for lunch with a slice of watermelon. Now I’m sitting here at the kitchen table drinking water because the nachos are calling me. I knew I should have bagged up all the junk food. Everybody must be feeling the same way because my husband is questioning whether he can have coffee and Nena is down here eating watermelon again.

Anyway, as a commitment I decided to post my picture for the challengers to see. After all, its my journey to better health and since it’s my journey I thought I’d post it for you too, in case your wondering if the challenge works!

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Why I don’t have a pet

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The question was raised. Alex came to me this morning wondering, Aw Mom Mom, why can’t we get a dog?” The only response I could come up was because of Vinnie.

Vinnie was a cat my son and daughter-in-law forced on me a few years back. A full tuxedo cat, beautiful. I didn’t want a cat but I fell in love.

First let me say I live in a small town one that only has one vet. A vet that I could never go back because of PDST (post dramatic stress thinking).

See I had Vinnie microchipped when I first got him. When we were at the vet’s office for that first visit I racked up a bill over $300 for all the things They suggested he should get. The chip was one of them. About a year later Vinnie was gone.

While I was on vacation the person I left him in care let him out. I don’t think I’ll ever get the full story on that one. Just working out the therapy!

Anyway, I worried myself to death about that cat. For about two weeks I checked the shelters, visited with all the neighbors within a mile radius, did posters and cried, cried, cried. Until one night while dreaming about Vinnie I remembered I had him microchipped. I shot straight up in bed and got so excited. I couldn’t wait to call the vet in the morning.

When I did I explained the situation and reminded them he was chipped. The girl on the other end of the line asked me my name and told me to hold on. I’m thinking their looking up my baby but no, she gets back on the line saying something like this, “Let me see, you think I can see Vinnie like on GPS trekking down Cherry Road?” Of course I said I did. The phone went silent then I realized I was on speaker phone because I could hear them all snickering. I was so distraught I was not even upset that I had made a full fool of myself. First by getting the shot without understanding what it meant. I mean he was a beautiful cat. If anybody found him they would keep him.

I wondered about him for months until I saw him at my next door back field neighbor’s house. I hope she knows I’m canceling her reward (from me) in heaven.

Sorry Alex, I’m still not over it!!!

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Share The Love Giveaway Thank You Response

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If you’ve come my way via Prettyladybaby’s blog, “Thank you for viewing and good luck!”

Now on to the blog!

You might be wondering why I started blogging? I actually started awhile ago by force I might add by my daughter Kerrie. She is my strong willed child and always has been. She is a great kid but if she gets something in her mind, there’s no turning back. I know you might know she has it in her head that I am going to learn how to quilt but I’ve been learning to sew for the last 45 years on and off and have managed not to get it yet. Now that it is her mission, the 46th year my get the prize. You can look forward to me blogging about the journey!

Now since she is so set on my blogging, let me tell you 5 fun facts about my baby. You know moms love bragging ( and taking credit) about the good things their children do.

1. She’s generous to a fault (and modest too)! I had to buy about 15 hat, scarves and glove sets at the beginning of a new school year because she would give hers away to anybody she thought was in need. Still doing that I see! Hint-giveaway.

2. She thinks everybody is a friend. When she was a kid, she’s the only person I know that could walk on a playground to a bunch of new kids and by the time she left everybody would be her friend. That’s the dormant gene I passed on!

3. She loves to talk!!!!!! I used to ask her to be quiet for 5 minutes. She could only hold it for 30 seconds before she would ask, “Mom, guess what?”

4. She always excited about being excited. That’s the basis of her strong will. It didn’t go well at school though. My coworkers used to place bets on how soon the school would call during the first week of school. Usually the first day!

5. She told me the day after her birth that she was going to do something great with her hands someday. Who would have known it would be quilting?

Thanks Kare I will do my best to make you proud of me too!

Love, Mom

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Be good to your children

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I think the biggest failure of our lives as parents is if your children do not want to have anything to do with you when they are grown. Really, what possibly could have happened? Children are so open to forgiveness. As I grow older I see it more and more especially with fathers and the mother category is catching up fast.

Be good to your children. I’m not a perfect parent but I have learned that children should be seen and heard, they do have feelings and your never to big or old to apologize.

Remember we’ll all be old someday and that goes out to you too – children!