Our Trip to Houston

Well I'm playing catch up tonight. Here are about half of the pictures I took while we were in Houston visiting the UTI Campus this past Monday. Sam was in heaven being able to see where daddy's students get to go to learn. It was a 4 hour trip down there and then a little bit longer for the way back because we stopped along the way for dinner.

Tuesday Sam and I went to go see Barnyard at the free movies down on the Louisiana Boardwalk. We ran into one of Sam's good friends, enjoyed the movie together and then set up a play date for later that day. We went over to their house at 2:00 and didn't return home until a little after 5:00. He had a great time playing with his friend and I had a great time talking to his friends mom which has become a pretty good friend. We also found out that they will both have the same teacher again this year.

Click to play Make your own Smilebox

My Weather Guy

Last Thursday I found Sam out in our backyard sitting on an old step stool. He was taking down observations of the weather. He had even made his own wind sock out of a stick and a torn up plastic bag to see which direction the wind was blowing. It is a great feeling knowing that our trip to the National Weather Forecasting Office stuck with him! Ever since last Thursday he has been watching the weather outside and reporting back to me every day.

Happy Father's Day

Thanks to my hubby for finding this one!

To all of the father's out there and to all of us that have father's this one is for you.

To mute my music please scroll down to the end of the page and just hit pause. Then you will be able to view this here by clicking the play button. Or if you want you can just click in the middle of the picture and you'll go to YouTube. Oh...have a tissue handy.

Sunday Skies

Today we kept going back and forth with the weather. One minute it was sunny, then partly cloudy (as in the first picture) to looking like it would pour down any minute. I really like the second picture I took. We had to run to Wal-Mart to get some things for our trip tomorrow (more on that later) and had the camera in my purse and shot this as I was getting out of the car.

Blech!

I went to the doctor today. Wait a minute, let me back up and start earlier this week. This past Tuesday I noticed that I had a lump/bump on the left side of my head towards the top. It was tender and hurt. I didn't remember ever hitting it or anything else happening to me so I didn't think much of it but thought to myself that I should probably keep an eye on it. On Wednesday I noticed a lump/bump behind my left ear and then last night I noticed a much larger lump/bump at the base of my neck and top of my shoulder on the left side. Okay. Now I was getting worried. Andy and I both decided that I would call the doctor first thing in the morning. So here it is Friday and I've been to the doctor. I was a first time patient there and we knew that it might be hard for me to get in but it's amazing how quickly they get you in when you say that you have three unexplained lumps/bumps on your head and neck!

Ends up that the lump/bump on the top of my head is a bacterial infection. The other lumps are my lymph nodes trying to fight off the infection. I left the doctor's office with a shot in my left hip (ouch!) and a prescription for a combined antibiotic to take for 7 days. Oh and I also have to do a warm compress two to three times a day. If this doesn't work then I will have to go back in to have it drained. Not what I want to do! He said that I caught it in time that I shouldn't have to come back but you never know. I do know that now not only does my head and neck hurt but now my hip hurts too.

Now I'm back home after running to get the drugs that I need, lunch and cat food for the cats (obviously). I'm going to take it easy the rest of the day as my head and neck are throbbing and now the meds are making me feel queasy and just plain ole BLECH!

Good news is that Sam is doing much better! He only ran his fever for 24 hours or so but his cough lasted until Wednesday evening. Last night was the first night his coughing didn't wake him up. Thanks for all the well wishes everyone sent to him.

Friday's Feast is Served!

Appetizer: Fill in the blank: The best thing about where I live is _________________…

Oh boy...this is a loaded question for me. The best thing about where I live is our friends.

Soup: Create a new name for a deodorant (like “Flower Fresh” or “Shower Scent”).

I can't wait to read all the responses to this one! Let's see...Odor Be Gone. Or maybe...Put This On Or Go Sit In The Corner. How about....Smell Be Gone, Pit Juice Deluxe, You Stink and I Don't, OMG What is that Aroma. Okay, I'll admit it, I asked my husband for help with this one. But you have to admit they are pretty funny. Thanks sweetie! I love you!!!!!

Salad: What was the last piece of software you installed onto your computer?

An anti-virus.

Main Course: If you were to receive a superlative award today beginning with the words ”Most likely to…”, what would the rest of the phrase say?

keep creating until she dies.

Dessert: What two colors do you like to wear together?

I haven't worn them together because I don't know how they would look on me but I love the colors brown and pink or brown and orange together. To answer the question though I would say that I like to wear red and black together.

Oh My Gosh!!!

I just can't believe it! What, you ask, is it that I can't believe? Well.....I WON something. Well not actually "something". YARN! Alison over at The Blue Blog and author of Charmed Knits (see link in sidebar) was having a Charmed Knits give away. Of course, I entered every one of them but knew I probably wouldn't win because I very rarely win anything. I have been reading her blog since before her book was written and have enjoyed every post. I went over there today to see if she had updated and there in print was my name next to one of the items!!!! Go here and here to see what I won.

Alison, thank you so much!

Travelling Scarf Group #1 Update

Here is an update on the last 4 scarves that I have knitted on for the Travelling Scarf Group #1. WARNING....if you don't want to know what your scarf is going to look like then don't read any further. This would apply to the following people: Chris, Deb, Sandy and Karen if I remember correctly. I'm working on Patty's right now and it will be done today.


So...here they are. I took a picture of the whole scarf as it currently is and then a closer shot of the part that I did.

Oops!

I just realized that I forgot to post my Sunday Skies picture yesterday so I'll just go ahead and do it today.

Disappointment

Well Sam is now disappointed. I had told him last week that Monday we would be going to a blueberry farm to pick some blueberries. Now we will not be able to go due to Sam being sick. He had complained about a headache now for 2 days and had a slight cough. Well as of 7:30 this evening he had a low fever and his cough has worsened. Now as I write this he fever has gone up and his cough has already woken him up 3-4 times. It looks like it will be a long night. I told him that we can reschedule when we go berry picking but he has been so looking forward to this one. Hopefully by the end of the week or early next week we'll be able to go.

Looks like tomorrow Sam and I will be spending most of the day on the couch. When he is sick he is glued to me. We'll probably watch movies all day and I'll get some crafting in when he'll let me. Oh along with some household chores which desperately need to be done as I put some of them off for a few days. Maybe if he takes a nap tomorrow I'll be able to get to some of them. That is unless he falls asleep on me like he has done in the past when he gets sick. Such the mamas boy he is. But I love him all the same.

Chimp Haven

Today Sam and I went to Chimp Haven. They are only open one day a month and during the hot summer months they are only open in June. (as I write this the current temp is 92 degrees F with a feels like of 104!) So off we went. We spent more time on the trip there than actually being there. It all started off by us leaving a bit early (8:00am) so that we could get some gas for the car. Then back over by the house to meet a friend of Sam's and his mom so that we could go together. We waited for roughly 15 minutes and decided that we would go on. I don't have her phone number or I would have called her to make sure everything was okay.

Before the trip I had looked up the directions. Bad thing. Should have called them to get the directions. But no...I had to do it myself. Now the trip there should have only been 30 minutes and they opened up at 9:00 and close at 12:00. Had plenty of time since we left our meeting spot at 8:45. Followed the directions and did not find Chimp Haven or any sign of Chimp Haven. Retraced my steps and still no sign of Chimp Haven. All this time Sam is in the backseat asking when we are going to get there and if I was lost. I told him, "No, I'm not lost. I know exactly where I am. I just can't find where I need to be." So off we went to find someone to ask. Got new directions. Followed those directions and still no Chimp Haven. So I backtracked yet again and found a different place. Everyone there seemed to know exactly where to go so I felt better about their directions. Sam and I were at Chimp Haven probably 10 minutes later at 10:30. Only took us 1 hour and 45 minutes to get there! The directions I had started out with had left off several different streets/highways to get on. Oh well.

We had a great time while we were there and will go back. Here are just a few pictures for you to enjoy. Oh...I would also highly recommend that you watch these videos.

Here are just a few pictures of the chimps. Such amazing, beautiful and wonderful creatures.

Okay...I know that this is a picture of a frog, a flower and a butterfly...but they were there and I just couldn't resist. I had a camera in my hands...what was I to do???

Of course one more flower shot and then two of Sam including the silly one.

Well we have a church dinner tonight, church tomorrow and then on Monday we will be off again.

National Weather Forecasting Office

This summer I have taken it upon myself to get some of Sam's friends together (along with their parents) and do some tours and trips. Most of these trips will be fun but some of them are going to be educational too. Every summer Sam has always had activities planned out because of the fact that I worked at a preschool before moving. Even after he became school age they had a school age program where there was something to do. They had swimming a couple of days a week, movies, and even some field trips. Even though Sam and I will probably be doing some of these on our own due to the other families also having some family vacations and just other plans, we are going to have a lot of fun. It all started earlier this week with Sam and I going to SciPort on Tuesday. This is one that we did alone but we had a ton of fun.


Last night Sam and some of this friends got to go to the National Weather Forecasting Office for a tour of their facility and to watch them put up their weather balloon. Below are some pictures for you. I think that the adults learned just as much as the kids did on this tour. It was just amazing. If you ever get the chance I encourage you to go. Or better yet, call them!

This is where they launch the weather balloon from.

She was calling the airport, which they are located next to, to let them know that they were going to launch the weather balloon.

Did you know that when the weather balloon is launched it is roughly 6 feet tall. As it goes up it expands. Right before it pops it will have expanded so much that it is roughly the size of a two bedroom house! I never knew that!

Here is the balloon on it's way up.

The Doppler radar next to their facilities.

Here they all are looking and listening to our guide (Senior Meteorologists) telling us about one of the three rain gauges that they use. This one actually measures the weight of the rain. Never knew that they weighed the rain!

Just another look at the inside of the rain gauge.

This is the kind of rain gauge that I always knew about. It measures in actual inches.

A quick view of part of their computer room. It sure was nice to come back inside and go directly into this climate controlled room. While we were outside there was a feels like temperature of 101 degrees!

Well due to one of the other parents there I am with the boys. They of course are looking directly into the setting sun so they are all squinting. Me? I've got my sun glasses!

Friday's Feast is Served!

Appetizer: What do you consider to be the ultimate snack food?

Chips or popcorn.

Soup: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), about how popular is your last name?

Married name probably about a 6. Maiden name was probably about a 2.

Salad: Who is your all-time favorite sitcom character, and why?

Bill Cosby. Loved his show and still miss it. I do try to catch it every now and then with repeats.

Main Course: Do you shop online? If so, name some sites you like to browse for goodies.

Amazon would probably be the one that my family uses the most in general as a lot of stores are using them for their online stores.

Dessert: Fill in the blank: I think ___________ should be ___________.

I think that every family should be at the dinner table together a few times a week at least.

Technical Question.....

Okay everyone...I need some help.

Will a yarn with a content of 65% wool, 25% mohair and 10% synthetic fibers felt?

Last Saturday was Home Depot's Kids Workshop. Sam with some help from Andy and I made a bi-plane. He loved it and wants to now paint it and hang it in his room. We'll work on that later.


Of course I had to put this picture on here. :)

SciPort Discover Center

Sam and I had a wonderful day today. We headed out around 10:00 this morning to SciPort Discover Center and stayed until almost 2:30. We then had lunch at Burger King and then as promised I let him walk around Toys 'R Us. I don't know why he wanted to but he did. He just walked and looked and walked and looked. I even found the double DVD of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on clearance for $6!! I thought about passing it up but then thought that I probably won't find it that low again. Here are some pictures (with descriptions) for you to enjoy.

Sunday Skies

Well I didn't think I was going to be able to take the Sunday Sky picture today. Most of the day we have had rain showers to storms. But it did clear up enough for us to go on our bike ride, take these pictures and play baseball in the back yard. Now it is very cloudy again and it looks like it might storm at any minute.

I DID IT!

I did it! I can't believe that in two months I have walked/biked 101 miles! I still have a full month left to go. Andy, Sam and I are now riding our bikes every evening for 4 - 6 miles. I feel better and am starting to feel some pounds come off. Not to mention some body aches that are coming along with it. Now that it is warmer here (90F most days) we are biking instead of walking. In fact yesterday we were 1 mile into our ride when Sam's bike threw its chain. So we all walked back to our house facing the hot sun. By the time we got back home we were all pretty much soaking wet. YUCK! Then I had to fix his bike. Easy to do but not fun to do when you are sweating like a pig. Yes, I sweat like a pig. Now, my mom just glows. Why didn't I get those genes? No, I sweat from every pore there is.

I must say that I am very proud of myself and can't wait to see how many more mile we do in this upcoming month. I think that once July 1st hits I'll have to change my goal. Don't know what I'll change it to yet but I'll think of something.

Thanks to all the cheerleaders that I have out there. Oh, and if you are participating in this...YOU CAN DO IT! I know that you can if I can.

Friday's Feast is Served!

Appetizer: Name something you think is “the best.”

Spending time with my husband and son without any interuptions or concerns. Just having some fun!

Soup: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today?

3-4. Not that bad today but have a lot that I would like to get done. Now whether it all gets done today or not that is another question.

Salad: What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face?

By AVON: ANEW RETROACTIVE+ 2-in-1 Cleanser. Invigorating cleanser/toner deep-cleans and unblocks pores. Love this stuff! I'm an AVON rep and I would recommend this stuff to anyone!

Main Course: Tonight is a blue moon ! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.”

First off...I changed the link that was originally posted in the question because I found a better description of the blue moon and when it will actually occur. It ends up that it all depends on where you live on whether it is tonight or not. Now to answer the question. I would say that putting my son to bed, not having him make many trips out to see us and just going straight to sleep happens once in a blue moon in this house.

Dessert: When was the last time it rained where you live?

Wednesday, May 30th. Downpour!! And there is a chance tonight.