SHE'S GOT A CANKLE

I haven't really accomplished a lot the past few days. I seem to wander in circles and just move things around. I did manage to go to the grocery store and because I didn't take my list in with me, I seem to wander around there too!  I bet I made four loops around the store. I was feeling very unorganized! I kind of like the grocery store when I've menu planned and have taken inventory, but today I just couldn't get it together. The one thing I really dislike, is having to put all of the stuff away once it is home. I think I would pay someone to do that! I'm just glad I have something to cook for dinner now!

Over the weekend #2's cheerleading team competed in the state's championship. She is the captain of her school's varsity team now and she use to be on a  competitive team that traveled all over the east coast. (She gave that up when it started to interfere with her school dances....she couldn't stand not buying the dresses!)  #2 wasn't able to compete because she was injured back in November while stunting. She is still nursing a swollen ankle and was told (today) by her orthopedist if she doesn't wear her brace she will end of needing surgery. She cannot wear shoes with the brace on and so there is the dilemma for her. All of those cute outfits don't go with sneakers and a ankle brace! 

I cannot count how many miles we traveled to competitions over the years. I cannot imagine adding up all of the hours we spent at the gym. I love watching her compete and was hoping to see her do her thing one more time before graduating and moving on. It was a little sad watching her team without her and watching her walk out with the coach and become a spectator. Sort of isn't fair that that last time was taken away from us.

this is her watching

Here a few pictures and video from the past. I somehow managed to get the video on here but can't figure out how to move it around so I guess I will have to work around it.  It was taken from a camera (videos cameras were not allowed) so the quality is poor. I'm gonna miss this!

 

We love Friday night football!

she's the one on top on the left

There is one more competition this weekend (and we also somehow have to be at a soccer tournament for #3 in Charlotte) so once more she will have to cheer her cheerleading team on. 

SIX THINGS ABOUT ME

I was tagged many days ago by All Things Southern and Preppy  to tell six things about myself. I am sorry it has taken me so long to sit down and do this.  I've had a couple of bad and busy weeks and the times I've posted something, I just didn't want to blog about myself . I am ready now, I'm going for it!  So, six things about me...?  Hmmmmmm

1. If I had a dollar for everytime someone told me that I looked like Shirley MacClaine I'd have a small fortune. Now mind you, she is 75 and I am 44!!!!!  So when I  hear this, this  is what I picture and THIS is what she is looking like these days:

(notice that this version comes with its own bottle of wine)

The majority of the people that I am approached by are all older and they usually start back peddling  when they see my eyes well up. They usually start to clarify......."young Shirley MacClaine, REALLY YOUNG Shirley MacClaine".  I don't really see it, but it happens too often to be a fluke. You decide. My kids think it has something to do with the mouth and the expressions I make. I don't really have pictures of my "expressions" though.

2.  I might possibly have an addiction to magazines. I cannot get past the checkout at Target or the grocery store without one. I love decorating magazines the most but there are a few fashion ones (Lucky) that I have trouble saying no to. I have tried to limit myself to just one a week, but it isn't really working. I do read them all, cover to cover. Also, I have a cabinet of Southern Living and Traditional Home that go way back. I love a good cold dreary day when I can get a stack of the old ones and make some hot tea. (I might be addicted to hot tea too!!)

3. I went on a 17 day riverboat cruise in Europe down the Danube River, 1 1/2 years ago. I went with my parents and other relatives and was the youngest one on the ship, oops, I mean barge. We started in Budapest, Hungary and ended up in Amsterdam. Austria and Germany were beautiful! 

Home Sweet Home

4. I have a little OCD in me. I can't pay attention to someone if my surroundings aren't just right! If there are books, magazines or whatever not stacked up all nice and square, largest to smallest or if they are not fanned out just right I get a little antsy. Even the pile of junk mail sitting on the counter has to organized. It DRIVES ME CRAZY to walk into the pantry, after "someone" has put the groceries away, and  see the cans and boxes not all organized, lined up, facing the same direction and turned just right. I want everything displayed, just like at a store. Don't get me started on the fridge and people not putting things in their assigned spot.

5. If I had to choose one type of food to eat everyday for the rest of my life I would choose sushi. I've never met a roll I didn't like. My favorite roll is the Piano Roll. It has shrimp, crab and avocado on it. Yum!

6. Speaking of food: I have raised three children that are not picky eaters at all. They all like everything and are well rehearsed  about menus and ethnic food.  Sushi is ALL of our favorites. My 12 year old has been eating it all her life. They are not big pork or beef eaters mostly because I cook only what I eat and usually I cook fish or chicken. (I could live off the sea!) My kids didn't grow up eating off the Children's Menu, with the predictable chicken fingers and grilled cheese, they have always ordered off the regular menu. It was/is expensive but very worth it in the long run.

So, that's me. I gotta go for now. I think there are some magazines out of place!!!!!

BARRETT IS TWELVE!

Last Thursday Princess #3 turned twelve. My how time flies. I had a difficult time shopping for her this year. Not only did we celebrate Christmas less than a month ago, it just seems that twelve is that in between age. There were no toys on her list, thank goodness she has lost interest in that Webkinz craze. Clothes? She wants them in her closet but has no interest in them being wrapped in pretty packages and bows. When they are, they have taken the place of something else. She requested Pancake Puffs as her breakfast in bed. (The Pancake Puff Pan, AS SEEN ON TV, was on the top of her Christmas list.) It is a shame that it was a school morning because all she heard was, "Happy Birthday Sweetie! You have five minutes to enjoy your extra special breakfast. Hurry up!". Oh well. She was wined and dined three nights in a row and had friends over Friday night for a slumber party, which just added more chaos to our traumatic event. Sigh :( 

 She is one sweet young lady!  Our family is so blessed to have her as a part of it. 

Love those Pancake Puffs!

Tiffany Blue Cupcakes

(as she requested)

Princesses love their flowers!

SWEET CLEO

I think God will have prepared everything for our perfect happiness. If it takes my dog being there [in Heaven], I believe he'll be there. (Rev. Billy Graham)

 Pets are family members in our home. They are a part of our daily lives, sitting right there beside us and joining in on our daily routine. From breakfast time, homework time, keeping me company in the laundry room to helping me check the mail, I've always had "someone" to keep me company. So this weekend when our sweet Cleo passed away (so quickly and unexpectedly), it left us all very empty and sad. Now that it is Monday morning and everyone is off doing their thing and I am here at home alone,  supposedly doing my thing, her absence is so much more evident and felt. I am really missing her, missing everything about her. 

We discovered that Cleo was sick and in pain Friday night around 11:45.  It was apparent that this was an emergency and she needed medical attention. After making some phone calls and getting a neighbor to come over and help lift her into our car, my husband took her to a 24 hour vet clinic. 

The diagnoses wasn't good. Cleo was suffering from Bloat. Bloat will kill a dog in as little as 2 hours if not treated and surgery is needed to reverse the complications. There are many things that can go wrong during surgery and chance of survival for her was 50/50. 

Cleo wasn't able to survive this. Our gentle giant is gone. She and my children grew up right beside each other. Quite often, she was like their Nana in Peter Pan, overseeing them and joining in on everything. From posing for sidewalk chalk drawings on the driveway many years ago to being the lifeguard last summer by the pool, she loved being in the middle of it all. Oh how she loved a slumber party! You couldn't convince that 180 pound baby that she wasn't the first on the invitation list. She loved family game night and movie night. She loved to play hide and seek with us outside, loved to go "bye-bye" and looked for "blankie" when she was ready for bed. Come Saturday mornings, she new that she and daddy were going to make a Starbucks run. I could go on and on and on....

Last night when I went to tuck #3 in bed she was crying so hard. She had all of her St. Bernard stuffed animals in bed with her. She was holding them in one great big bear hug. She and I just laid there together. 

Those of you who have pets know what we are going through and some of you may not understand all the emotional investment. 

We miss her and will be missing her for a long time. We love you sweet Clee-Clee and are so sorry that this happened to you.

SAD

I couldn't bare to come to my blog page because of my last post. My heart breaks just looking at the pictures. Our sweet sweet Cleo passed away and I just wrote about her being the happiest dog in our snow. My family and I are grieving. She was our furry princess, sister and best friend to our cat.  Right now I am just so sad. I  will write more about her later. On top of all of that, it is #3's birthday and we are really having to work at keeping it "happy" for her.  

Bare with me because I am going to need to write about my Cleopatra next time. She had the most beautiful soul.