TWO FACED

I have to tell you that I am proud of myself....

here is the second post in just a short amount of time.

I am on a roll!!

Saturday, the Man of the House and I were two faced.  We did something not many people do around here, especially in one day. We donned both the University of North Carolina's colors in the afternoon and then hurried home to switch into our North Carolina Sates colors for the evening. 

In the area that I live in, you are either a State fan or a Carolina fan and you support your school all out and despise the other.  Well, we had to be a little two faced on Saturday and seeing that we support both schools financially through #1 and #2's tuitions, I think we were fully in our right. 

#3's soccer team was asked to be the ball girls for the UNC's girls soccer game. If  you know anything about girl's soccer, you probably know that UNC's girls soccer is the best program out there. There record speaks for itself.......

They are the #1 ranked team in the country as of right now. Being asked to be the ball girls was a little bit of an honor for a team of 13 year olds, not to mention it was such an awesome experience to stand right on the sideline and watch how the best players in the country play your position. 

Everything on campus is "Carolina Blue" from the track to the trashbags in all of the trashcans. 

(You can see one in the bottom left corner.)

I wonder how much of money goes to buy those specially made trashbags? 

#3 was excited and charged up after standing beside the goal the entire game. She got to see some awesome defensive plays - that is what she plays.  She is the one with the yellow penny and white hat on  the far right. 

After the game was over, we had to hurry home to get ready for a cook out at a friend's house. We have NC State football tickets and tailgate with a big group of people. Last night we had a preseason tailgate 

practice. So we changed from our Carolina Blue clothes into our State Red. 

Our friends Pat and Don did a WONDERFUL job and their yard was amazing! 

Around here, they are called ITBers because they live Inside The Beltline, where the deer do not set up camp in your backyard. Their yard was so full of everything I love and everything that my deer love too, so I spent a lot of time walking around and drooling. 

I also spent a lot of time wondering if I could talk any of my girls into wearing a smocked dress just one more time....for old times sake. Since I knew the answer would be a  "no",  I took a picture of this cutie so that I could pretend.

There were way too many desserts to choose from, but I did good and stayed away....

until I saw this one.

I could not resist because it was an old fashioned chocolate layer cake, 

just like my grandmother used to make. 

It was almost as good as hers!  ;)

We had a great time Sunday.

 We  even got to drop by #1's apartment to take her a few more things and give her a hug before she had to be at Rush practice. 

Go Pack!

Go Heels!

SUMMER PROJECT #1

It is no secret that I have been very scattered and not very dependable when it comes to blogging this summer. I have had good intentions and BIG plans, however, not many of my plans have made it to the big screen. I have also taken on several projects this summer. And (I know that it isn't the right way to start a sentence.) when I take on something, I go all out and spend a lot of time "researching" (buying books, magazines and making lists and sketching over and over again) to the point that it almost is all that I do and think about. Thank you guys for hanging in there with me and checking in on me when it seems like I have dropped off the planet. I have had one of the roughest nine months of my life with the death of my mom and the cruel and bitter months she suffered beforehand and it seems like all I wanted to do when I sat in front of the computer was to relive here on this blog my loss and my emptiness. I simply avoided that and did/do other things..... but I did/do them all out and poured myself into them and filled up my days with them. I like to live that way, from project to project because I am not a sitter or an idle person. And of course, if I do not have a project going on, I usually end up going shopping and that isn't a good thing. 

Like I said, I have several projects going on right now, some are big and I will share them all later.  I checked off a somewhat big one last week and felt like a weight was lifted. 

Earlier this summer, I posted about #1's sorority's house landscape issues and that I was involved in the overhaul over the summer. I also volunteered myself to redo the house's front porch. (Ugggg!) They had a fund raiser for the landscape project and raised a lot of money. The only thing they were missing was a landscaper that had a vision. Their landscaper had gotten lazy with a capitol L and was not really doing his job. He also is this natural weed hugging person and apparently believes if something is growing and has rooted itself, it deserves to be there. That does not make for a pretty yard. 

Well, he was straightened out for the most part and this summer the sorority's yard got a major haul. A sprinkler system was installed, sod was rolled out and the overgrown bushes were pruned. I planted some planters and ordered pillows for the front porch. It really needed some personality and curb appeal. 

Last Sunday we loaded up two cars and headed towards Chapel Hill. All of the girls were there having rush practice so I even got to sneak into the house to watch a little bit of their skits and dances. (Gosh, what a great time in these girls' lives.) 

Here are some of the pictures of the yard:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

After:

I planted the pot with caladiums and begonias. A friend of ours makes bird houses and so we took advantage of that. After we put this one up, we decided that this one was too small and so we have already replaced it with a larger one and it looks great. 

I added the pillows, little table and plant, urns and ferns that are in this picture. 

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the pillows do not get stolen. I went to a fabric store and added grommets to the corner of each pillow and tied them to the chairs and swing. Hopefully that will deter anybody form taking them, especially late at night after the parties are over!

Before:

After:

All of the overgrown perennials were pulled up and I added some large planters in the spot with my favorite.... zinnias.

The girls were very appreciative and many went out of their way to speak to us. That was such a good thing to see. I love that they are now proud of their house and are looking forward to rush week. 

 I was glad to check this project off of my list and have moved on!


**********

just thought I would add a little explanation of the small plants in the containers (you do not get to see the containers of caladiums in between the columns on the front porch). I nursed and babied the pots all summer long. the larger containers had beautiful trailing vinca and swedish ivy in them up until ten days before i took them. we woke up one morning and they all were wilted and rotted looking. i was told that  the vinca had a root disease that killed it. i made many many trips looking for healthy annuals to redo the pots. it is hard to find healthy looking annuals in august!!! #1 and i were a little bit in distress.
like i said,
glad i am DONE with this project!

THE DOG ATE MY COMPUTER CORD AND OTHER BACK TO SCHOOL STORIES

I  am a slow learner. I know not to leave ANYTHING down low or out these days, but I have learned it the hard way. My two little big puppies are in a chewing stage and nothing is safe. I still am in mourning over my Eliza B's and Jack Rogers. Well, my computer cord met its' fate early last week and I have been computerless because of a dead battery until yesterday. I made two trips to the Apple store, but because of all of the students moving into the universities around the area they have been sold out of a lot of things. But all is well now and I have a lot of catching up to do. 

Last Sunday night (one week ago) was #3's last night of summer and it was time for the Odom's annual picture taking night and Nutty Buddies on the porch. We have been doing this for over ten years and we wouldn't let a little college and distance get in the way. #2 came home from school to spend the day with her sisters. #1 was still here in town and wasn't going to back to school until midweek. 

We took some pictures out on the porch before we took  #3 out to eat to her favorite sushi restaurant. 

Pull out a camera and the prepping begins! Girls will be girls!

My three girls are all grown up!

We made the Man of the House sit for a picture (or two).

And then we wrestled with Lola and Charlie until we got a decent picture of them.

After seeing this..... I am rededicating myself to the gym

and it is not going to be easy or pretty.

#1 will be 21 in less than three months,

#2 is 19

and #3 is a mature 13 year old.

After getting back from eating we headed back out onto the porch for our Nutty Buddies and to watch the sun go down.

Charlie wanted to "chew" on a Nutty Buddy too.

The night was short and the alarms went off way to early the next morning. 

I am not a morning person and am more of a night owl, so it was pure torture to have to hit the floor running at 6 AM. Making breakfast and lunch that early is something that I have never looked forward to. 

#3 was, as usual, right on time and ready to go right on time.

I took a few pictures before she and her dad took off to go pick up the other kids in the carpool.

(He is such a great dad!!)

And there she was, all dressed and ready to go conquer the eighth grade. 

So sweet and beautiful!

I AIN'T MISSING YOU AT ALL...SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE

Back in my college days one of the most popular songs was

Missing You by John Waite.

I dedicate that song to #2. 

I just want her to know that I AM NOT MISSING HER AT ALL

since we took her just over fifteen miles away to her college home away from home last weekend. 

Nope, I ain't missing her at all. 

Last Friday night, since her dad was out of town, she came and crawled in bed with me declaring she wanted to sleep with me since it was her last night at home. Her bedtime partner, #3, was right behind her and tucked herself into the middle of us.

I watched #2 reach up and turn off the lamp beside her and it was like, all of a sudden, her summer was over. 

It went dark. 

I laid there, still,  in the dark, so happy that she thought about me, wondering where the summer went and so happy that I was clinging to the edge of the bed. I would have stayed like that forever if I knew that meant the sun would not come up and that we would not have to get on with the show the next morning. 

But, life does not happen like that and sometimes it does not do us any favors.

The alarm went off, it was Saturday, 

and we had business to take care of. 

She had college to attend to.

Before I woke her up, I had to take a picture.

And before she left, she had to give Charlie and Lola a hug or two.

Okay.... her dad owes me big time....

he was not here to help....

and it was HOT as blazes....

and I am not a patient person....

and I do not like to sweat after I am showered and dressed.

This is the way we found her tiny little sorority room. 

We moved the furniture around at least four times trying out which way gave both her and her roommate the most room. 

As it turned out, there was no way that gave them room. 

The room was still itty bitty no matter how we stacked things up.

This is the little walk in closet that #2 and her roommate will share. 

It just looks big now.

#2 two has never had to share anything, so this will be interesting. 

Like I said, the Man of the House owes me big time. 

We could not get the risers under the bed posts and the bed pushed up against the wall all at the same time. #3 crawled under the bed while #2 stood on top of the furniture and tried to lift and hold up the bed. I guess I should of helped.... instead of taking pictures. 

I was so afraid of there being some kind of head injury.

In the end, I did help.

#2 and #3 had to crawl under the bed and pretty much bench press the bed up with their legs while they positioned the risers. I  stood away from the danger and held the bed up and directed. We ended up using three risers stacked up on top of each other to raise the bed enough to put a set of drawers underneath. 

We still may put cinder blocks underneath the bed this weekend. 

Since her roommate was not coming until Sunday, #2 decided to come home on Saturday night and go back Sunday morning......

which gave us enough time on Saturday night to go on a major shopping spree. 

During the decorating process, #2 had a meltdown and decided that the leftover dorm decor from last year was no longer her style and being the good sport that I am, I agreed. 

Thank goodness for Homegoods and Bed Bath and Beyond and those big blue coupons. 

We also stopped by Target to get a shelving unit to put by the door as you walk in. 

This is what #2  and Lola did when we got home....

and this is what #3 did.....

she put together an entire storage unit all by herself.

She evidentially is the talented one in the family.

We wanted to get things squared away before the roommate arrived from Virginia on Sunday, so we woke up early and went back to the sorority house.

We ended up moving one of the dressers into the closet to give the girls more room in the actual bedroom. 

Low and behold..... the Man of the House arrived after all of the heavy lifting was done. 

We still put him to work hanging a few pictures and shelves. 

The girls and I smiled at each other, behind his back, when he had a lot trouble with one of the shelves and screws not being centered......

serves him right. 

The roommate was just getting there and getting things put away as we were finishing up.

This is the unit that #3 put together and it was perfect in the space by the door. 

The room is still a little bare.

We ordered a giant  monogram (decal) to go over the bed and it is supposed to come in tomorrow and we still need to fill in some empty spaces. 

I also have to paint a hutch to go on the desk (didn't find out that we had to bring our own hutch until last weekend). I started it in the garage yesterday, but it is HOT as you know what here, the humidity is 1000% and the paint wasn't drying. So I am going to wait a little bit. Hopefully this weekend it cools down to 95' (sarcasm) so I can tolerate being out there for more than five minutes at a time. 

The comforter is an eggplant color with some gathers and rosettes, but it does not show up in the picture. 

It is much prettier in person.

She was a happy camper when we left her there Sunday.  :(

I have not seen the room since her roommate got her side decorated and organized and I cannot wait. 

They have had a lot of compliments and comments that it looks like a real home and not a 

college room. 

There are a few things on my list to go and get before the weekend .... which means tomorrow I will be shopping again...

picture frames for shelves

"cute" lamp for wall unit

lamp for desk

cork board

curtain

hooks for belts and necklaces

and so on

I will share pictures when we get done.

But,

 I still want you to know #2, I ain't missing you at all

.... since you've been gone.