This flippin thing will not work.

I am Sick!

I broke down and hauled my one ear, hearing self to the walk in clinic today. I have been sick for nearly a week. Seeing that I have loads of moving to do I figured I should get a shot in the butt of something.

I was in and out in 20 mins tops. The PA that I saw was amazed that I was not ill in the bed ordering my dear husband to fetch me Starbucks and chocolate. Oh wait, no he just said that I was sick and to bend over for a shot of cortizone. I have a Z pack and some cough stuff being filled at the pharmacy. So yep now I should start feeling better! AHHHH I cannot wait.

I have about 48 hours to clear the rest of our personal belongings out of the 80% of the house that will be getting a sand and re finish. I asked Nathan to clean out the CD's DVD's and general crap out of our coffee table -while he was watching Monday Night Football, Well that did not happen. So now I am watching how to extract honey from honey comb (nice to know martha stewart-) I am SURE that I will never have that problem. But needless to say my request got lost in the football, work mayhem. So guess what sick mommy is doing? Yep loading up the junk. By the way if you have to move out of in your house, use milk crates. My daddy t has like 100 and they are life savers.

I will take pics and load them of my VERY pretty house. You all should come for a visit and sit on the raw wood floor. FUN TIMES!

A Day at the Apple Orchard complete with 100 1st graders!

I am getting old...

I am getting old!
I thought last summer when my best friend got married-I was old. And I was,~ I was too old to be dressed up in formal wear, too old to be eyeing the groomsmen (Nathan) and too old to be planning the bachelorette party (that ended at like O' 10PM). But today it was put in concrete, Shannon Sallee Ross-Summar is OLD!

My morning started off with the kids jumping in bed with us...and I still have a cold so I was slow getting up. We got dressed, headed to see Nathan's sister (a half sister) but nontheless- run cross country with her High School squad. OK when did Carli get as tall as me?, and in high school talking about college and getting a drivers licence???? I saw her off to Kindergarten! Then I went to a wedding of my sister in law's best friend. I came into their lives when Katie (my sister in law) was in high school like Carli! And now those two women are now married, starting or having families and I still in many ways think of them as high schoolers.

And I am still me! I still think that I am in college-still cool and able to hang. Except I am 9.5 years married and have two kids and a home with two cars and a black and white dog. I am old because I thought taking off my heals from the wedding was important enough to put on my facebook status. I am also old because I have a china cabinet and a room that you have but really do not use that much.

But I am not too old to haul my family, kids, dogs and hubby to my mom's house late in the week-yep Sally, we are comin' and I do expect to be able to sleep with Nathan in your home.

Only because I am OLD!

If I was a commercial~

If I were a cold medicine commericial, well I would not be a cold commercial! There is no truth in advertising! I have taken Nasonex, Alka Seltzer, Benedryl ( the kids kind that comes in plastic measure things) I was desperate! I was up alot last night and not feeling well. GUESS WHAT! I still do not feel well. What I thought yesterday was post nasal drip has turned into a take to your bed, sore throat, snot dripping, funk fest in my body! For the first time in a long time, I took a nap! I did some laundry, and when I bent over to empty the drier, snot was moving in my head.

I had both of the kids parent teacher conferences. My kids are wonderful! I attribute this to their well rounded, both physically and emotionally HA HA ---mom. No really, they are good kids, good students and I could not be more proud. I am happy to report they are doing really well in school. Now if I can just convince them that fighting at home is not acceptable.

On another front: I am currently reading "Through the Storm" by Lynn Spears. Why did I spend my money? She cannot write~ in English anyway! I am from the south so I understand all the southern(isms) but I would not let that be my published legacy. I have not gotten to the part of shaving heads and all~ that should be good.

I will continue to watch 90210 that is TiVoed, wiping my running nose, and gear up for yet another baseball game.

Toodles!

Oh my kids

Just so that you know, any of you. Scrapbooking is on QVC all day today. I am going to have it on as I attempt to complete my Cozumel album later. Perhpas I can learn some new things to try. Which by the way, I went up yesterday to the craft corner of my guest bedroom-I thought that I wanted to work on Mexico-turns out that I did not really want to scrap~and when you do not want to scrap, you end up making really ugly pages. So Food for thought.

Last night I had dinner with my in-laws. My Father in law is the cutest thing in the world. He invited me & the boys to have dinner at the Farm Bureau annual BBQ thing. So he had so much fun introducing us to his friends. And some of the time, I was just his "daughter". SO cute. For those of you that do not know, Talmadge does not have any kids of his own. He married Linda and she had three kids. And my kids are his first grand kids. Ethan, John and Daddy T are the three amigos~ adorable! After dinner we headed down the hill to the kids 7PM baseball game.

As I have alluded to before, I do not think that we are a baseball family. John hit a homerun! And that was wonderful and I was so happy for him! Nathan went over to the dugout to congratulate him-he was so happy he said, "Dad, did you see, I hit a home in one!" Really??!!?? Then Ethan, never to be outdone told his daddy that he hit to first base (which he did only it was foul ball) He told me that he got to first base and then they had to go in. Really he hit an OUT.

I think we shall see what happens from now to the fall and perhaps go back to SOCCER! Ha ha. My kids! I love them!

An Essay of Pictures

This is Bennea. His mom moved to China to teach English. She used to teach my kids at Pre School
Nathan decided to paint the Living Room. He decided to Paint the kids names in the Living room. Can I get a show of hands who does indoor graffiti??? Anyone? NO?
This is Nathan on a ladder. We only recently let him back up on ladders. Head injury and all.
And this is the retarded man that shows up in my house. I think that he was cold~and trying out his new sleepingbag. It will be winter soon and I may kick him out.
This is the same retarded man watching football, that is a green pad under him to make him more comfortable when I do kick him out. And that is my dog.

Anywho! That is my life.

A Correction~

Clearly I am not a child of the 70's

Nathan is

and he was humming the theme song to Sanford and Sons as he was leaving out the door this morning.

I am heading to the new Publix down the road from us. Perhaps to purchase some more junk for the garage.

An Open Letter....

My dearest Love,
I realize that since we moved to this house-you have taken an interest in the garage and how clean the garage is, how it looks from a passing car, what stuff is left out and cleaning the garage every now and again. When we lived in the Modified Ghetto you did not care...now we moved on up and we "care"

When you left for work this morning you called me George Jefferson. And I believe that you stared humming the song to the Jefferson's. I am not George Jefferson, as I am not a middle aged African American male-whom came into a windfall. The Windfall part -you can tell me about that later if you have any news from the financial standpoint.

I went into the garage this morning when I was headed out the door at 830 this morning to take your clothes to the laundry and pick up the paint that YOU wanted. As I was loading up the clothes, I noticed that the messes you were talking to Mr. Jefferson about was the Tomato vine thingy that I did not put out there. You were aggravated by the broom, pooper scooper blue tarp and these size 11 mens crocs that are all outside of the garage door-none of which I own. And I know that you would say that I do own the broom as my mode of transportation which is really quite funny, and you would know that I think that it is funny by the mild smirk on my face.

So my dear, I will not be heading outside to pick up the junk in the garage because, and I woefully submit to you these explanation:

1-I am not George Jefferson, although I do have my own neatly maintained piles of stuff which does not compare to your crap beside the bed. Like the bag from Labor day weekend that you have yet to unpack. George Jefferson I am not.


2-My back hurts. Which explains my unique gaite.........

There is a certain amount of adoration that I feel for you at 7AM when you make fun of your stuff and blame it on me. Ah Love!

Really they are installed.

Well there you have it. The floors were installed this morning and afternoon. It took all day. but I am really please with how everything turned out. The only damaged hardwood was what you see in front of the fridge. BUT as you know when you have real hardwood and you sand and refinish-you must sand and refinish all of it. And although Nathan and I really did not care for the color of our wood, and he always wanted wood in the living room this was our chance and so we are going for it in hopes that we will not have to do this again anytime soon.

Now I have to pick a stain for the re - do! UGH decisions.

New Floor installed!

Doesn't everyone's dining room look like this???

Millie and the "old" carpet-we are taking the carpet to Habitat-but keeping the dog....

That was the scene this morning in the Summar home. I had a nice day of sawing, talking, hammering and noise. Made the kids sound quiet to me. But the guys were super nice and really clean. So only two more weeks and this problem will be solved.

So look at the post above this one for the after!

To Remember...

Like most Americans, I am making a conscious effort to remember 9-11. We all know where we were when we heard a plane had hit the tower. We remember the sights of the people coming from the buildings before they fell. We remember the news that was non stop for weeks on end. The hopes that we had that if just one more person was pulled from the rubble perhaps the madness would end.

I was sitting in a chair in the old house. I was 5 month pregnant and had just found out a week prior that I was expecting twins. I remember Katie Couric and Matt Lauer not knowing what was happening. I recall wondering where my daddy was, as he spent soo much time in the air. I recall telling Nathan that something was happening. I remember seeing tears in his eyes when he came home from work that day and saw the devastation.

I mostly recall how I thought "Oh my God! I am bringing two more people into a world that is so messed up. What do you do with that?" I am thankful for today, I am not thankful in anyway for what happened today seven years ago-but I am thankful for today. Thankful that I had today. Our mortality is not guaranteed-I am thankful that I-at 32 have only begun to know the loss that those people knew seven years ago.

And on a lighter note: When did I get old enough to need EYE CREAM? I will wear it and I like it-I suppose- but really do I have eye wrinkles at 32?

Sex Talk

So Hello! I bet that I caught you off guard with my title. It is such a taboo subject. I have a feeling Nathan will be calling me Dr. Ruth before long. As uncomfortable as the entire subject is for him, he is hanging in there with me-bless his heart.

I went to my first in classroom experience. That was so neat. Firstly, it was the Middle School that used to be a High School. And 49 years ago approx, my parents were smooching in the halls, being all happy and sock hoppy in the late 50's. Well I swear, they still have the same flooring and I can just feel Sally and Jerry in the prime of their youth being High School sweethearts.

Well all that has changed~ now it is filled with 6th 7th and 8th graders. I sat through a pretty fun, small class of 7th graders. They are goofballs - it makes me wonder how my kids are going to make it out of puberty without my killing them. Then the 8th grade class that I sat in was super good. They had good questions and really interacted with my director. We were talking about the value of oneself, the meaning of love and how to know you are in love. One little girl asked if it hurt to lose your virginity. HA! I would have never asked that! But it was asked and answered in a matter of a fact fashion.

I am headed out to get three little boys from school. Then we are heading to Sams, church tonight, and home again home again.

Thursday I have two more classes at another school that I will watch. Ah to be young and awkward again!

Big Bummer!

Today I hauled all the way to Belle Meade because Anatra Jewel called and said my ring was in from NY. So I dropped the kids at school, got dressed, jumped in the car for the 45 minute ride to Belle Meade. Just to find that they had made my ring a half size too small. UGH bummer! She is going to have it corrected and send it to me. Oh well-all good things.....

I did not tell you all that I have taken on a new task. I have committed myself to working with Asitia or Rutherford Abstinence Program. I am going through training at the moment and really look forward to getting into the class rooms soon. Basically we go into public schools and teach a 5 course abstinence education program. Or we can go into churches, health fairs etc. This is something thtat I think can be useful to younger people and if you know me, you know I have no problem talking about anything. I really think that this a ministry that I can help with in our community. I am going to watch a class in a middle school (YIKES) on Weds and Thurs. Next week I will be in a High School. I am thinking that I will do better in High School but you never know, I may LOVE the little pimply teens. Today I have to have a TB skin test, have not had that since High School. Then I have to have a CPR course and OSHA classes-our offices are located in the Crisis Pregnancy Center which is a medical facility, so I have to be "medical" I suppose.

All of this education bodes well for the kids. I know that when they are in Sixth grade I will still not want to talk to them about sex.

But I believe that when you know better-you do better and you let others in on your wisdom. Personally, this is something that I never thought that I would do~ but I have had more than one person tell me I will be really good at it. Wish me Luck....I am sure I will have plenty of stories.

Good Times, Fast Times, and reconnections!

What a week in the Summar home! Never have I EVER been so excited about politics! I watched Mrs. Palin and I think that I really am in line with MOST of what she is wanting for our country. The only thing that I do not agree with is perhaps her lack of Foreign Policy Experience and her liking the need to drill oil in AK. But seeing that she did mention that we are looking at other sources of energy leaves me hopeful that McCain and Palin will drill in AK-to decrease our exposure to foreign energy sources and REALLY hit hard with the alternative fuel. We also have some family friends that live in AK and they LOVE their Governor. Perhaps her daughter made a bad decision in her life-that does not make her a bad person. All the other things are just sideshows (to me).

Ok I am off the soapbox.

This is such a busy time of year for some reason. We are gearing up for a MAJOR fundraiser at school. I have decided to take on a new role as a volunteer for a local charity and well Nathan remains busy and you know--it goes down hill. Today we met with mom's financial person. He is such a joy and so completely helpful. He really puts our mind at ease that she will be OK for her life and meet some of the goals that she and dad put into place. Then I was off to meet the plumber at the house, run errands, discover that I do still indeed have water behind the fridge-call the optometrist, the pest dude and the dentist-which I need to call back-note to self.

I also realized that Ethan's class is having a cookie exchange with their book buddies on Friday. So I was making cookies until I realized that you must have BROWN sugar and white sugar for Chocolate Chip Cookies. Which by the way, Walgreens does NOT selld BROWN sugar. Now I will actually cook the dough and not EAT the dough.

I also got in touch -via Facebook-with an old Jr. High friend. That was neat! She and I were soooo close and I guess that I just keep up with her thru hearing things from mom and Jason. I was really happy to hear from her. She has a three year old and she teaches pre-school and coaches the High School Cheerleading squad. AH memories.

Oh and Nathan's mom and I went in and bought him and two of his friends tickets to the AL v. KY game on 10/4. I said last year that I would never get him tickets to a game again and well I made it a year! He just likes so much to be at games with his friends-perfect gift for the guy what can I say?? But Daniel and Glen think that I am the BEST wife in the world! Just kidding M, he LOVES you!